History of Mt Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States, featuring the colossal sculpted faces of four…
Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States, featuring the colossal sculpted faces of four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, this national monument symbolizes the birth, growth, development, and preservation of the United States. The story of Mount Rushmore’s creation is one of ambition, artistry, and controversy, with its history deeply tied to both American patriotism and Native American displacement.
Origins and Initial Concept
The Vision of Doane Robinson (1920s):
The idea for Mount Rushmore originated with Doane Robinson, a South Dakota historian who wanted to promote tourism in the Black Hills region. In the early 1920s, Robinson envisioned carving massive figures of American West heroes, such as Lewis and Clark, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Oglala Lakota Chief Red Cloud, into the Black Hills to attract visitors.
Robinson approached renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum with the idea in 1924. Borglum, who had been working on the Stone Mountain Confederate memorial in Georgia, agreed to take on the project. However, he suggested a different approach: instead of regional figures, Borglum proposed immortalizing four key figures in American history to create a national symbol of democracy and freedom.
The Choice of Presidents:
Borglum selected four presidents to represent different phases of American history:
George Washington: Symbolizing the birth of the nation, as the leader of the Revolutionary War and the first U.S. president.
Thomas Jefferson: Representing the expansion of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the nation’s size.
Theodore Roosevelt: Chosen for his role in the development of the country, particularly through his efforts in conservation and the construction of the Panama Canal.
Abraham Lincoln: Representing the preservation of the nation, having led the country through the Civil War and ending slavery.
The Carving of Mount Rushmore
Location and Naming:
The site chosen for the monument was Mount Rushmore, a granite peak in the Black Hills named after Charles E. Rushmore, a New York lawyer who visited the area in 1885. The Black Hills were sacred land to the Lakota Sioux people, and the construction of the monument would later become a source of controversy due to the area’s cultural and spiritual significance.
Construction Begins (1927):
Work on Mount Rushmore officially began on October 4, 1927, with a dedication ceremony attended by President Calvin Coolidge. The project was funded by federal and private sources, with support from Congress, South Dakota state officials, and national fundraising campaigns.
The process of carving the monument was highly technical and dangerous. The majority of the rock removal was done using dynamite, while the finer details were achieved with pneumatic drills, jackhammers, and hand tools. Borglum and his team of about 400 workers, many of whom were miners, used a pointing machine to ensure the accuracy of the sculpture’s proportions based on a scale model.
Challenges and Delays:
The project faced numerous difficulties, including financial issues, harsh weather, and the Great Depression. Borglum also had ambitious plans for Mount Rushmore, envisioning the presidents’ bodies carved down to their waists, as well as a Hall of Records behind the monument, which would hold important documents related to American history.
Despite these challenges, the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt were gradually completed, though Jefferson’s face had to be moved after cracks were discovered in the original location.
Gutzon Borglum’s Death and Completion:
Gutzon Borglum passed away in March 1941, just months before the U.S. entered World War II. His son, Lincoln Borglum, oversaw the final stages of the project after his father’s death. Due to mounting financial pressures and the impending war, the monument was declared complete on October 31, 1941, though the bodies of the presidents and the Hall of Records were never finished as Borglum had envisioned.
The Presidents of Mount Rushmore
Each of the four presidents carved into Mount Rushmore was selected for a specific reason related to American history:
George Washington:
As the first U.S. president and the leader of the Revolutionary War, Washington represented the founding of the United States. His role in establishing the new government and presiding over the Constitutional Convention made him a symbol of American independence.
Thomas Jefferson:
Jefferson was included for his role in expanding the United States through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the country’s size. He was also the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, making him a symbol of American democracy and enlightenment ideals.
Theodore Roosevelt:
Roosevelt was chosen for his role in guiding the United States through a period of significant growth in the early 20th century. He is remembered for his conservation efforts, expanding national parks, and his work on the Panama Canal, which connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Abraham Lincoln:
Lincoln’s role in preserving the Union during the Civil War and his leadership in ending slavery made him an essential figure in American history. His selection represented the preservation of the nation’s core values during one of its most challenging periods.
Controversy Surrounding Mount Rushmore
Native American Displacement:
Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills, land that is sacred to the Lakota Sioux and was promised to them in the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868. However, the U.S. government later violated this treaty after gold was discovered in the Black Hills in the 1870s, leading to a series of conflicts between the U.S. military and the Lakota, including the Great Sioux War of 1876.
The construction of Mount Rushmore on these sacred lands is seen by many Native Americans, especially the Lakota, as an affront to their culture and sovereignty. To this day, the Black Hills remain the subject of legal and political disputes, with the Lakota people seeking the return of the land rather than financial compensation.
The Crazy Horse Memorial:
In response to Mount Rushmore and as a symbol of Native American resistance and pride, the Crazy Horse Memorial was begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski at the request of Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear. Located nearby in the Black Hills, the monument is dedicated to Crazy Horse, a famous Oglala Lakota leader who fought against U.S. government encroachment. Though still under construction, it is intended to be the largest sculpture in the world once completed.
Mount Rushmore Today
A National Symbol:
Today, Mount Rushmore is one of the most visited national monuments in the United States, attracting nearly 3 million visitors annually. The monument has become a symbol of American patriotism, representing the ideals of leadership, democracy, and the country’s historical journey.
Hall of Records:
Although Borglum’s vision for a Hall of Records behind the monument was never fully realized, a scaled-down version was created in 1998. A titanium vault placed in a chamber behind the heads contains historical documents and explanations of the monument’s purpose, intended to inform future generations about its significance.
Cultural Impact:
Mount Rushmore has become a cultural icon, referenced frequently in films, television, and popular culture. Its image is often used to symbolize the strength and endurance of the United States, though its complex legacy remains tied to both the nation’s achievements and its history of Native American dispossession.
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