Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, a batholith in the Black Hillsin Keystone, South Dakota, United States. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the sculpture's design and oversaw the project's execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son, Lincoln Borglum. Mount Rushmore features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of four United States presidents: George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt(1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865).
History
Doane Robinson of the South Dakota Historical Society wanted a monument to be built in South Dakota in order to help the economy of the state by attracting tourism. In 1923, he proposed that this monument should be built from the granite cliffs in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Senator Peter Norbeck of South Dakota approved the proposal, and federal funding helped the project. Robinson asked architect and sculptor Gutzon Borglum to sculpt and design the monument. Borglum decided to use Mount Rushmore for the sculpture, since it seemed to be the easiest and most stable of the cliffs to work on.
A few hundred workers, most of whom were miners, sculptors, or rock climbers, used dynamite, jackhammers, and chisels to remove material from the mountain. A stairway was constructed to the top of the mountain, where ropes were fixed. Workers were supported by harnesses attached to the ropes.
Construction began on October 4, 1927. In 1935 Borglum appointed Italian immigrant Luigi Del Bianco as chief carver. Borglum's original design was a sculpture of each president intended to go down to their waists, but time constraints and funding only provided for their heads.
The Presidents
George Washington
George Washington's head was started first. Due to the economic instability of the United States caused by the Great Depression, it was completed in seven years, and dedicated to the public on Independence Day 1934. A large American flag was placed over Washington's head before it was revealed, and this became a tradition for each of the presidents' heads.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson's head was started next, to the right of Washington. Before the head was complete, Borglum requested that it should be blasted off due to poor rock quality. Jefferson's head was restarted on Washington's left. Jefferson's head was dedicated in 1936.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln's head was the most challenging because of his beard, but his head was completed on the far right of the cliff. Lincoln's face was finally dedicated on September 17, 1937, which was the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States in 1787.
Theodore Roosevelt
While Roosevelt's head was being constructed, accommodations for tourists were being built, including plumbing, lighting, and a visitor center. Not finding suitable rock, the sculptors cut farther back into the mountain, causing concerns about how far they were cutting. Roosevelt's head was dedicated on July 2, 1939.
Present-day Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Ten years of redevelopment work culminated with the completion of extensive visitor facilities and sidewalks in 1998, such as a Visitor Center, the Lincoln Borglum Museum, and the Presidential Trail. Maintenance of the memorial requires mountain climbers to monitor and seal cracks annually. Tourism is South Dakota's second-largest industry, and Mount Rushmore is the state's top tourist attraction. In 2012, 2,185,447 people visited the park.
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| Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of the memorial. |
History
Doane Robinson of the South Dakota Historical Society wanted a monument to be built in South Dakota in order to help the economy of the state by attracting tourism. In 1923, he proposed that this monument should be built from the granite cliffs in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Senator Peter Norbeck of South Dakota approved the proposal, and federal funding helped the project. Robinson asked architect and sculptor Gutzon Borglum to sculpt and design the monument. Borglum decided to use Mount Rushmore for the sculpture, since it seemed to be the easiest and most stable of the cliffs to work on.
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| Mount Rushmore before construction, circa 1905. |
A few hundred workers, most of whom were miners, sculptors, or rock climbers, used dynamite, jackhammers, and chisels to remove material from the mountain. A stairway was constructed to the top of the mountain, where ropes were fixed. Workers were supported by harnesses attached to the ropes.
 |
| Workers used harnesses attached to steel cables while sculpting. |
Construction began on October 4, 1927. In 1935 Borglum appointed Italian immigrant Luigi Del Bianco as chief carver. Borglum's original design was a sculpture of each president intended to go down to their waists, but time constraints and funding only provided for their heads.
 |
| Model of intended final look of Mt. Rushmore |
The Presidents
George Washington
George Washington's head was started first. Due to the economic instability of the United States caused by the Great Depression, it was completed in seven years, and dedicated to the public on Independence Day 1934. A large American flag was placed over Washington's head before it was revealed, and this became a tradition for each of the presidents' heads.
 |
| Borglum chose Washington to be the most prominent figure on the mountain and represent the birth of the United States. |
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson's head was started next, to the right of Washington. Before the head was complete, Borglum requested that it should be blasted off due to poor rock quality. Jefferson's head was restarted on Washington's left. Jefferson's head was dedicated in 1936.
 |
| Gutzon Borglum chose Jefferson to represent the growth of the United States. |
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln's head was the most challenging because of his beard, but his head was completed on the far right of the cliff. Lincoln's face was finally dedicated on September 17, 1937, which was the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States in 1787.
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| Gutzon Borglum chose Lincoln to represent the preservation of the United States. |
Theodore Roosevelt
While Roosevelt's head was being constructed, accommodations for tourists were being built, including plumbing, lighting, and a visitor center. Not finding suitable rock, the sculptors cut farther back into the mountain, causing concerns about how far they were cutting. Roosevelt's head was dedicated on July 2, 1939.
 |
| Borglum chose Roosevelt to represent the development of the United States. |
Present-day Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Ten years of redevelopment work culminated with the completion of extensive visitor facilities and sidewalks in 1998, such as a Visitor Center, the Lincoln Borglum Museum, and the Presidential Trail. Maintenance of the memorial requires mountain climbers to monitor and seal cracks annually. Tourism is South Dakota's second-largest industry, and Mount Rushmore is the state's top tourist attraction. In 2012, 2,185,447 people visited the park.
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| The memorial park covers 1,278.45 acres |
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