After that, settlers and prospectors poured into the region. In , New York attorney Charles Rushmore visited to strike a deal on a tin mine, and, on a lark, Six Grandfathers was renamed after him. But the land dispute was not resolved. In the s, the Lakota tribes sued the U. By the s, South Dakota, now a U. Governor Peter Norbeck had also built the Needles Highway, a scenic route wending through the iconic granite formations of the Black Hills.
Related: How should visitors deal with the racist implications of Stone Mountain? Robinson envisioned an ode to the old West, with carvings of historic figures such as Lewis and Clark and Lakota leader Red Cloud. He reached out to Stone Mountain sculptor Gutzon Borglum —who would transform the granite mountain into what it is today.
Borglum had gained fame for sculptures honoring U. By August , Borglum had agreed to work on Mount Rushmore—but not the way Robinson had pitched it. Theodore Roosevelt, who had overseen the construction of the Panama Canal, was a symbol of economic growth. And Abraham Lincoln was selected for having fought to preserve the nation in the Civil War. Over the next 16 years, Borglum wrangled with the federal government about funding and control of Mount Rushmore—which he never technically completed.
Borglum hoped to carve the presidents down to their waists and chisel a description of the memorial next to them. S historical artifacts. In , Borglum began blasting a foot tunnel into the mountain for his Hall of Records. Worried about funding as war loomed in Europe, however, the U.
Borglum was still refining those heads when his health began to deteriorate. He died on March 6, , leaving his son, Lincoln, to continue his work. The project was declared finished on October 31, The tunnel that Borglum had drilled for the Hall of Records sat empty for decades until , when the National Park Service placed a titanium vault in the floor, filling it with information on Mount Rushmore, the presidents, and U.
However, the filming itself sparked a controversy. Photo by Gerald Pace www. The Big Idea The idea of a large mountain carving is credited to South Dakota State Historian Doane Robinson, who was looking for ways to attract tourists to the state. Mount Rushmore National Memorial under construction. Photo from the National Park Service archives. Fireworks at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Photo by Janet Williams www. The face of George Washington on Mount Rushmore. Photo by Doreen Miller www.
The face of Thomas Jefferson on Mount Rushmore. Photo by Elizabeth Franklin www. Abraham Lincoln The amazing legacy of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, includes winning the Civil War and bringing an end to slavery in our country. Photo by Art Hill www. The face of Theodore Roosevelt on Mount Rushmore. Photo by Shelley Church www. Blasting the Past Carving Mount Rushmore was a project of colossal proportion, ambition and achievement.
Gutzon Borglum supervises two workers as they carve an eye into the stone of Mount Rushmore. Standing before these iconic faces sparks a unique sense of patriotism and is an experience unlike anything else. Book your stay.
Manages social media initiatives and local public relations outreach. July 08, The Washington Carving was officially dedicated on July 4, George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Teddy Roosevelt. Abraham Lincoln. The workers used dynamite and pneumatic hammers to excavate big chunks of granite and used a technique called honeycombing to remove smaller pieces with drills and chisels.
What is carved today is actually a smaller version of what he initially envisioned due to areas of weak schist, uneven mineral crystal size, and fracturing. Regardless, the National Park Service uses the latest rock monitoring technology to keep a close watch on the mountain.
In , a rock block monitoring system was installed, consisting of a dozen fiber-optic strain gauges that straddle cracks and track even the tiniest movements of the blocks.
Each year, the blocks expand and contract with the heat and cold of the summer and winter seasons. If the blocks ever do move beyond their seasonal cycles, the preservation team is developing a strategy to secure the carving from the back. Horizontal cracks can trap water and speed up erosional processes, whereas vertical cracks tend to harmlessly shed water down the face of the mountain.
Other than the caulking, there is no coating on the face of the carving, he said. This is Mount Rushmore!
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