A photograph in the Institute for Regional Studies collection shows a snow covered buffalo bull. It has a heavy rope around its horns and it’s standing in front of 19 winter-clad men and boys—all posing for the camera. The photo is inscribed, “Last buffalo killed in North Dakota, January 1907: Casselton, North Dakota.”

Apparently, after the photo-op and the killing, a Mr. Lynch thought President Theodore Roosevelt should have a copy.

On this date in 1907, Roosevelt wrote a reply, “My dear Mr. Lynch: I thank you for your gift, and appreciate it. And yet I am really sorry that you had to kill that buffalo bull. I am surprised that there should have been no market for him in the different parks and museums of this country…”

Source:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ndfahtml/ngphome.html Search: “last buffalo”

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