The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. Situated on the Black Hills in South Dakota, it consists of four 60-foot-tall granite heads carved into the mountain by sculptor Gutzon Borglum.

The memorial was originally built to honor four famous U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The sculpting process began in 1927 and was completed 14 years later in 1941, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the monument on August 10th of that year.

The total cost to build Mount Rushmore was $989,992 (about $13 million today), according to an article by PBS. Of that amount, $845,000 was spent on constructing the monument itself (which took 10 years), while another $146,000 went toward developing utilities such as electricity and water lines for use by the workers who built it.

Cost to build mount rushmore

Mount Rushmore is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, a batholith in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota, United States. It features four U.S. Presidents: George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865). The sculpture memorializes the early history of the United States and is an iconic symbol of the nation’s pride.

The sculpture was conceived in 1923 by South Dakota historian Doane Robinson and state historian E.H. Blumenschein to embody the pioneer spirit of America’s westward expansion as well as encourage tourism in the region.[2] Robinson wanted it to feature all four presidents who had been born in his state: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt.[3] He asked sculptor Gutzon Borglum to design it and oversee its construction.[4] The original plan called for each president to be depicted from head to waist,[5][6] but this proved too difficult for Borglum.[7] Instead he decided that a head would be sufficient.[8][9]

The project took fourteen years to complete at a cost of $989,992.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Carved by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and 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). The entire memorial covers 1,278 acres (5.21 km2),[1] and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.[2]

Mount Rushmore was originally known as “The Crazy Solider Monument” before being renamed in 1947.[3] The memorial received 7 million visitors in 2016,[4] making it the second most visited attraction in South Dakota after the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail.[5]

Design and construction

Borglum began working on his design for Mount Rushmore in 1923,[6] while he was working on designs for a larger-scale sculpture to be located on nearby Black Elk Peak; this mountain was later renamed Harney Peak after a prominent Sioux

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, a batholith in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota, United States. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and 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).[3] The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres (5.16 km2) and is 5,725 feet (1,747 m) above sea level.[4]

The carving of Mount Rushmore involved the removal of about 4 million tons of rock.[5] The process involved the use of dynamite to remove the rock and explosives were used to create certain forms such as those found in Washington’s eye and nose cavity.[6] Work on the head of Washington started in 1927 but was not completed until 1941 due to interruptions caused by World War II.[7]

The memorial was dedicated on October 31, 1941, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at a ceremony attended by 200 Native Americans

Mount Rushmore is a granite sculpture carved into the face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. It depicts four United States presidents: George Washington (1732–99), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–65). The memorial park covers 1,278 acres (5.11 km2) and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.

Mount Rushmore was conceived by Doane Robinson, who promoted the project as a means of stimulating tourism in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.[3] Robinson persuaded sculptor Gutzon Borglum to travel to the site with him in 1924. They were joined by former South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson and together they wrote an article that appeared in national magazines promoting the carving of a mountain sculpture by President Martin Van Buren.[4][5]

The original plan was to carve Presidents George Washington[6] and Abraham Lincoln on Mt. Rushmore with only Jefferson and Jackson as secondary figures.[7][8] President Calvin Coolidge was asked by Robinson to make a contribution but declined due to his lack of interest in politics.[9]

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, a batholith in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota, United States. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and 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). The memorial park covers 1,278 acres (5.16 km2) and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.

Mount Rushmore was named after Charles E. Rushmore who first visited the area in 1885 during an expedition led by General George Bird Grinnell.[3] In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the construction of Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society by Congress,[4] which oversaw its construction.[5][6] Gutzon Borglum was chosen to create these sculptures because of his previous sculpting experience with large scale works.[7][8] He began working on July 4th, 1934 with the help of approximately 400 workers

Mount rushmore facts

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Sculpted by Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount Rushmore features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of former Presidents George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865). The entire memorial covers 1,278 feet (389 m) above ground and 6 acres (2.4 ha) below ground.

Mount Rushmore was authorized on August 10, 1927 as a tribute to Native American veterans who fought for their country during World War I. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the design for Mount Rushmore in 1923 under commission from the architect for the memorial, Doane Robinson. The carving started in October 1927 and ended in October 1941 with the death of Gutzon Borglum. His son Lincoln completed it after his father’s death.[1][2][3]

How big is Mount Rushmore?

The sculpture measures 60 feet tall by 36 feet wide (18 m tall by 12 m wide).

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and 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). The memorial park covers 1,278.45 acres (5.16 km2) and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.

Mount Rushmore was originally known as “The Needles”; the name was changed to “Mount Rushmore” after Charles E. Rushmore donated money for its erection. After hiring Borglum as sculptor for the project, Gutzon Borglum selected a 590 feet high cliff located between two peaks known as The Needles for the site of Mount Rushmore. He chose this spot because it had a view of Black Elk Peak with its distinctive notch that he thought would give depth and character to his presidential heads.[7]

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. Sculpted by Gutzon Borglum and 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). The entire memorial covers 1,278 feet (389 m) above ground and is 5,725 feet (1.7 km) above sea level.

Mount Rushmore was originally conceived in 1923 by Doane Robinson, who became impressed after visiting the Rock of Cashel in Ireland. Robinson proposed that the famous leaders of history be sculpted into a mountain as a symbol of racial unity. He first proposed that only Native Americans should be represented; he then decided that all races should be included as equal partners in national unity. After securing federal funding through a campaign led by South Dakota Senator Peter Norbeck, Robinson recruited renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum to design and carve the memorial.[2]

A team of 400 stonecutters spent over 14 years carving

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is an American national memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota, in the United States. The memorial features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the faces of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres (518.89 ha) and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.

Mount Rushmore was designated a National Historic Landmark on June 3, 1965.[2] In November 1924, Charles E. Rushmore, a wealthy New York lawyer and industrialist who had been involved in the development of Mount Rushmore began pressing for the creation of a national monument to be carved into the side of Mount Rushmore. He formed an organization called the “Rushmore Memorial Association” for this purpose.[3][4] In March 1925,[5] the U.S House of Representatives voted to authorize the erection of a memorial on federal land in South Dakota as a tribute to American presidents: George Washington,[6][7][8] Thomas Jefferson,[9][10] Abraham Lincoln[11][12] and Theodore Roosevelt[13][14].

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, a batholith in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota, United States. The memorial features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Sculpted by Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount Rushmore features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of four U.S. presidents: George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865).[1] The entire memorial covers 1,278 acres (5.16 km2)[2] and is 5,725 feet (1.74 km) above sea level.[3]

Mount Rushmore was named after Charles E. Rushmore,[4] a New York lawyer who served as legal counsel for the Union Pacific Railroad.[5][6] He toured the Black Hills region with General William A. Connolly during 1927–1928,[7][8] searching for possible locations for a monument to be carved into the rock face