North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library by Snøhetta rises in North Dakota
Architecture studio Snøhetta has begun work on the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, releasing the first construction images as well as renderings of the building’s green roof that appears to merge with the landscape.
The library is located just outside of Medora, North Dakota, and is dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, who was born in New York but held property and served in administrative roles in the state.
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) comprises a long narrow structure built into the rolling Badlands of North Dakota, with a central passageway that runs through the centre of the structure. It will have exhibition areas as well as a large theatre.
From the outside, the building appears as a large berm with plantings on top and sculptural protruding lightwells.
The final structure elements for the sloping roof structure were completed last month, according to Snøhetta, which utilised a mass-timber and steel hybrid system for support.
Elements of the mass-timber structure will be left exposed, especially in the massive breezeway that will serve as the primary circulation between the two main indoor spaces.
As of last month, many of the wood exterior cladding elements as well as the rammed-earth walls that mark the primary entrance to the library have been completed.
The green roof and the natural materials, such as mass timber and rammed earth, are elements of the low-impact, sustainable brief for the project, which Snøhetta wanted to reflect Roosevelt’s commitment to preservation.
“Our design for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is informed by the president’s personal reflections on the landscape, his commitment to environmental stewardship, and the periods of quiet introspection and civic engagement that marked his life,” said Snøhetta.
“The design functions in harmony with the unique ecology of the region and expresses the conservation ethos for which Roosevelt is remembered.”
Outside, a 1.3-mile (2.1 kilometre) boardwalk will run in a circle around the ridge, connecting the library to overlooks and pavilions to observe the landscape, as well as to hiking trails that lead into Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Snøhetta is also aiming for ambitious sustainability goals for the building to echo the formal and material gestures of the building towards environmental “harmony”.
“The sustainable ambition of the project’s design can be best broken down into four categories: zero energy, zero emissions, zero water, zero waste,” said the team.
“This approach relies on a carefully calibrated combination of passive strategies and active technologies throughout the site and building.”
With the onset of North Dakota’s harsh winter, enclosures are being erected to continue work on the facades and interior spaces, and the green roof installation is set to take place next year.
Limited exhibitions will begin to take place late next year, with full completion slated for July 2026.
Currently, 15 dedicated presidential libraries exist in the United States, administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
However, TRPL is being driven by private non-profits, and the land was purchased for construction by the Roosevelt family.
Snøhetta was selected from a group of competing studios in 2020 that included Studio Gang and Henning Larsen.
In Chicago, work is underway on the Barack Obama Presidential Library, designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. It topped out this year.
The photography and renderings are courtesy of Snøhetta.
“The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.” Genesis 12:7
These verses have been used to justify all kinds of land disputes in the Middle East. Indeed, I have heard people in Christian circles in our own country use this verse to justify their support for Israel in wars to preserve “their” God-given land, because the Israelites were the children of Abram (later called Abraham).
While that is true, Abraham was the father of two sons: Ishmael and Isaac. Jewish and Christian believers consider themselves descendants of Abraham through Isaac. Muslim believers consider themselves descendants of Abraham through Ishmael. Therefore, the land God gave to Abraham, and his descendants is not Jewish land, Muslim land or Christian land. It belongs to all of these “cousins” who believe in God/Yahweh/Allah (etc.….).
One of the most alarming trends in the world of faith is the rise of religious nationalism. According to Wikipedia, “religious nationalism is the fusion of national identity with religious beliefs, where a nation is defined by a shared faith, and religion serves as a central pillar of its political and social life. It seeks to align government policies and laws with religious doctrines.” This happens among all of the cousins of Abraham’s descendants. There are Islamic nationalists, Jewish Zionists, and Christian nationalists, and they are all dangerous.
In the same way Zionists will claim the Middle East as given to them by God, religious nationalists use the beliefs and texts (Bible, Koran) out of context to rationalize their political views, policies and even wars. They attempt to convince people that one political viewpoint supports their faith, and others do not. In the United States, Christian nationalism is on the rise. Politicians repeatedly use scripture to support their policies and ideals, attempting to convince us that what they are doing is the “Christian” thing to do, when, in fact, quite often these policies and ideals not only have nothing to do with the Christian faith, but they also occasionally go completely against it.
I once heard a state politician say, “It’s my God-given right to carry a gun.” Say WHAT??? God did not give anyone the right to carry a gun. Period. That’s just foolishness. And nobody even commented about it, which tells me it doesn’t bother us to hear people say things like that.
Our faith in God, no matter which branch of the family tree we come from, should “inform” our political and ethical views, but we cannot become like other countries and base our laws on one religious belief or another. Especially in a country where we are diverse in our religious beliefs. This is not a “Christian” nation, a “Muslim” nation or a “Jewish” nation. It is a nation of people who come from all kinds of faith traditions, and we are promised the freedom to practice our religion, no matter what it is.
God gave the descendants of Abraham – all of the descendants of Abraham — blessings too numerous to mention. We can be grateful for those blessings without trying to claim all of them as our own.
Rev. Janel F. Kolar is the pastor at First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Dickinson, North Dakota.
BISMARCK — Fargo Shanley shined in a battle of unbeatens Saturday afternoon at Sanford Sports Complex, while unseating the defending state champion.
The Deacons got goals from Carly Hulstein, Emma Rohrich and Annie Yablonski to earn a 3-0 victory against Mandan for the North Dakota girls soccer state championship.
Shanley completed its unbeaten season, while shutting out defending champ Mandan for the first time this spring.
“The girls were excited to play Mandan, two undefeated teams and someone had to come out as the winner,” Deacons head coach Ryan Christianson said. “Whoever worked the hardest was going to come out champions, our girls were hungry.”
Tanner Ecker / Bismarck Tribune
The Deacons (13-0-4) won their first state crown since 2019 and third overall. Mandan (17-0-1) fell one win shy of a repeat.
“Tough game, I felt like we controlled the game, to be honest,” Mandan head coach Aaron McElwee said. “We knew they would be dangerous on set pieces and that’s what they created.”
Shanley converted on a corner kick in the opening half for what proved to be the game-winning goal. Hulstein got a late head touch on a corner off the foot Rohrich, giving the Deacons a 1-0 lead with 16 minutes remaining until halftime.
“The first goal in the first half, that sparked momentum,” Christianson said. “Coming off of last year, we scored a bunch of corners, but this year I think we only had one or two. To make it count in the state championship game, I’ll take it.”
Tanner Ecker / Bismarck Tribune
The first insurance goal for the Deacons came with less than 18 minutes left in the second, as Rohrich scored off a rebound.
“That second goal was a hustle effort by Emma with an awesome finish,” Christianson said. “Emma was locked in from yesterday’s game, two goals sparked the fire and led into today. She deserved that one.”
Yablonski, a freshman, scored her first varsity goal for a 3-0 lead with 1 minute, 31 seconds remaining, as Mandan tried to apply pressure late.
“Annie with the cherry on top with the deep ball after the goalie was pushed up to help her team,” Christianson said. “That’s a way to start off your varsity career. She was close earlier in the game with a shot that went wide of the post, but that was a heads-up play by her, noticing the goalie was out.”
Tanner Ecker / Bismarck Tribune
Mandan’s best chance came from senior Sarah Helderop, off a corner kick in the second half, but Shanley goalkeeper Kailey Ottmar knocked the ball down and grabbed the rebound before any Braves players could arrive.
“Kailey was focused from the beginning of the game, usually I talk to her a bit, but she wanted to be by herself,” Christianson said. “She didn’t have to do too much, but there was a corner, a free kick. She was heads-up and had a good handle on the ball.”
Ottmar finished with six saves to earn the shutout. Gabby Frohlich had three saves for Mandan.
“Congrats to Shanley,” McElwee said. “We were close.”
Tanner Ecker / Bismarck Tribune
Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court
North Dakota
Shelly Frances, Minot, Chapter 7
Garrett Joseph Farnsworth, Bismarck, Chapter 7
Aaron James Goette, Horace, Chapter 13
Destinee L. Reed, Grand Forks, Chapter 7
LaWayne and Ruthanna Smith, Surrey, Chapter 13
Sabrina Marie Odegaard, formerly known as Sabrina Marie Wagner, Dickinson, Chapter 7
Krysti Mae Bench, formerly known as Krysti Mae Gainey, Fargo, Chaper 7
Tera Carleen Geyer, formerly known as Tera Dutchak, Dickinson, Chapter 7
Heath Alan Schaffer, LaMoure, Chapter 7
Nicholas Duane Noel, Fargo, Chapter 13
Jason Walter Lautt, Jamestown, Chapter 7
Bryan Lee Drinkman, Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Melia Kay Thompson, Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Roger Pelzer, Minot, Chapter 13
Jason Valentine and Amy Marie Keller, Bismarck, Chapter 13
Jaden Allen McGregor, Horace, Chapter 13
Rodney John and Jennifer Rebecca Brown, Williston, Chapter 13
Kayden Michelle Pavlicek, Dunn Center, Chapter 13
Minnesota
Bankruptcy filings from the following counties: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Polk, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.
Tyler Erick Nelson and Lisa Ann Nelson, formerly known as Lisa Costello, Dilworth, Chapter 13
Ethan Kenneth Edwards and Katherine Elizabeth Edwards, formerly known as Katherine Thornsburry, Park Rapids, Chapter 7
Amber Rae Durkin, formerly known as Amber O’Beirne, and James Robert Durkin, Bemidji, Chapter 13
Sierra Jade Ileene Isum, East Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Elizabeth Charlotte Smith, also known as Betsy Smith, Ogema, Chapter 7
Rebecca Lacey and Matthew Ian Angell, Alexandria, Chapter 7
Chapter 7 is a petition to liquidate assets and discharge debts.
Chapter 11 is a petition for protection from creditors and to reorganize.
Chapter 12 is a petition for family farmers to reorganize.
Chapter 13 is a petition for wage earners to readjust debts.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
-
Indianapolis, IN2 minutes ago3 Colts Cut/Trade Candidates Ahead of June 1st Checkpoint
-
Pittsburg, PA5 minutes agoPirates Shockingly Place Carmen Mlodzinski on Restricted List
-
Augusta, GA10 minutes agoDeputies seek man in Augusta robbery case
-
Washington, D.C17 minutes agoLake City’s ArtFields helps bring S.C. stories to national stage in Washington, D.C.
-
Cleveland, OH19 minutes agoGuardians News and Notes: My Kingdom For Some Runs
-
Austin, TX25 minutes agoAustin Pets Alive! gets $10K donation, pet beds
-
Alabama32 minutes agoAlabama football in for some major recruiting news soon
-
Alaska34 minutes agoAfter dispute, Assembly allows small-scale farmers to continue selling hay and feed in Anchorage neighborhoods
