Beams are signed for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

(KNOX) – Governor Doug Burgum and U.S. Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer participated in a beam signing ceremony for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the nation’s 15th presidential library.

The project has raised more than $270 million in private donations, far surpassing the $100 million that was originally required to trigger a state endowment whose earnings will be used to help fund operations and maintenance of the library.

Burgum noted the presidential library is on track for a grand opening on July 4, 2026, on the nation’s 250th birthday.

Those who visit the library will draw inspiration from the bold and courageous life that Roosevelt lived, including his time in the North Dakota Badlands, Burgum said, referencing Roosevelt’s famous quote, “I have always said I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota.”

Burgum concluded, “We’re not just building a building. We’re building an institution, an institution that’s going to be framed around citizenship, leadership and conservation – the three pillars of what Theodore Roosevelt brought.”