I've heard of Mount Rushmore most of my life. I've admired the unimaginable ability to carve faces into rock. But I've never thought about visiting until I realized how close we would be when passing through South Dakota on our recent road trip. I was excited to see the monument and understand how it might feel to experience it in person.
It was breathtaking and we picked a fabulous afternoon to visit, bright with sunshine and minimal crowds, since it was early in the season.
I always try to find a small yet informative book at most of our travel stops in order to learn and gain more understanding of my visit. They had a lot to offer and I decided on "Mount Rushmore Monument to America's Democracy" by Dorothy K Hilburn and Steven L Walker. As I read through the pages I realize there is so much more to the making of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
As a proud American, I love to learn how those who preceded me helped built this nation. I am glad those before me took steps to preserve and share the history that makes us who we are today. We are not a perfect nation, but we have founders who were brilliant, creative, adventurous, and inventive to stand on what they believed in and empower the nation.
As I read through the book I realize there is so much I did not know. The idea of Mount Rushmore started with Doane Robinson, secretary of the State Historical Society of South Dakota, in order to increase tourism and share the wonders of his state. After reading about the mountain carving in Stone Mountain, near Atlanta Georgia, he contacted the sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, in hopes something could be created in South Dakota. You can see a photo of Stone Mountain here and click "more details" to learn more.
Here just a few of the facts around the creation of Mount Rushmore:
- The project officially began October 4th 1927
- The project ended October 31st, 1941
- Only six and a half years were actually spent carving
- The cost was $989,992.32, of which $836,000 was paid for by the government
- The memorial is visitied by more than three million people a year
- Gutzon's son Lincoln was kept involved in his dad's work at young age
- When Gutzon died unexpected in 1941 Lincoln became the project's sculptor
- Lincoln completed as much as he could before funding ran out for good at the beginning of World War II
- Lincoln was appointed the first National Park Service superintendent at Mount Rushmore
- Gutzon made sure safety equipment and rules were utilized, and because of that, no deaths occurred over the many years of work on the mountain
Gutzon had ideas on incorporating other features honoring our presidents, but as happens so many times, disagreements and temperaments created roadblocks. However, one idea, the Hall of Records, although never fully completed, did get resurrected by Lincoln's daughter, Mary Ellis Borglum Vhay. Gutzon's dream was somewhat of a time capsule so "the world a thousand years from now would have something interesting and educational to look at". A 70-foot tunnel was blasted into the mountain behind the heads. In 1998 Mary helped burry items in a titanium vault at the entrance of the Hall of Records.
The Avenue of Flag was redesigned in 2020 for accessibility needs at Mount Rushmore. The original columns displaying the flags were removed and the pathway expanded to better accommodate visitors as they make their way to the Grand View Terrace.
"Don't say 'I can't' on this work. The 'I can'ts' are unknown in this world's work and unremembered in history."
~ Sculptor Gutzon Borglum
"...Hence, let us place there, carved high, as close to heaven as we can, the words of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were."
~ Gutzon Borglum
GOD BLESS AMERICA ❤️🤍💙
Note: We stayed in the small town of Keystone, at Comfort Inn, just down the hill from Mt. Rushmore. The lobby and staff were warm and welcoming. There were a few shops and restaurants along the main road, but because it was early in the season, many were not open. We enjoyed the quiet, friendly, small-town feel without the crowds.
