Central ND News

An at-scale model of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) aircraft carrier has been delivered to U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer’s office in Washington, D.C. Representatives from Huntington Ingalls Industries presented the glass-encased replica, which will remain in Cramer's office until the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opens in Medora in 2026. Cramer announced the gift during his remarks at a beam-signing ceremony in August.

“North Dakotans know President Theodore Roosevelt best as a Rough Rider and rancher in the Badlands, but he was so much more than our favorite cowboy,” said Cramer. “Before he became our 26th president, he served as a colonel in the Army, New York City Police Commissioner, Governor of New York, Vice President, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The USS Theodore Roosevelt honors both his presidency and Navy leadership, and it’s an honor to have this replica in my office until it christens the halls of his presidential library in Medora. I encourage North Dakotans visiting D.C. to come see this impressive display while it’s here.”

“We are deeply grateful to Senator Cramer for the incredible opportunity to display the official USS Theodore Roosevelt scale model at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library upon completion,” said Robbie Lauf, Executive Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. “It honors both the ship and Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy in building a strong, modern Navy as Assistant Secretary. This gift strengthens our mission to preserve TR’s vision and leadership for future generations.”

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier commissioned in October 1986.

Roosevelt's time in what was then-Dakota Territory followed personal tragedy with the loss of his mother Mittie and wife Alice on Valentine’s Day 1884. He famously stated, “I have always said I would not have been President if it had not been for my experience in North Dakota.”

The library site overlooks the South Unit of Roosevelt's namesake national park, established as a memorial park in April 1947 and later designated as a national park in November 1978. Construction is ongoing, with an expected opening date on July 4, 2026, coinciding with America's 250th anniversary.