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History of Mount Rushmore: Overview
The History of Mount Rushmore is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Lakota: Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe, or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota, United States. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum designed the sculpture, called Shrine of Democracy, and oversaw the project’s execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son, Lincoln Borglum.
The sculpture features the 60-foot-tall (18 m) heads of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, chosen to represent the nation’s birth, growth, development and preservation, respectively. Mount Rushmore attracts more than two million visitors annually to the memorial park which covers 1,278 acres (2.00 sq mi; 5.17 km2). The mountain’s elevation is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.
The sculptor chose Mount Rushmore in part because it faces southeast for maximum sun exposure. The carving was the idea of Doane Robinson, a historian for the state of South Dakota. Robinson originally wanted the sculpture to feature American West heroes, such as Lewis and Clark, their expedition guide Sacagawea, Oglala Lakota chief Red Cloud, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Oglala Lakota chief Crazy Horse. Borglum believed that the sculpture should have broader appeal and chose the four presidents.
Peter Norbeck, U.S. senator from South Dakota, sponsored the project and secured federal funding. Construction began in 1927 and the presidents’ faces were completed between 1934 and 1939. After Gutzon Borglum died in March 1941, his son Lincoln took over as leader of the construction project. Each president was originally to be depicted from head to waist, but lack of funding forced construction to end on October 31, 1941, and only Washington’s sculpture includes any detail below chin level.
The sculpture at Mount Rushmore is built on land that was illegally taken from the Sioux Nation in the 1870s. The Sioux continue to demand return of the land, and in 1980 the US Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians that the taking of the Black Hills required just compensation, and awarded the tribe $102 million. The Sioux have refused the money, which has grown with interest to over a billion dollars, and demand the return of the land. This conflict continues, leading some critics of the monument to refer to it as a “Shrine of Hypocrisy”
History of Mount Rushmore: General History
Mount Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills (Pahá Sápa) are considered sacred by Plains Indians such as the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Lakota Sioux, who used the area for centuries as a place to pray and gather food, building materials, and medicine. The Lakota called the mountain “Six Grandfathers” (Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe), symbolizing ancestral deities personified as the six directions: north, south, east, west, above (sky), and below (earth). In the latter half of the 19th century, expansion by the United States into the Black Hills led to the Sioux Wars. In the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, the U.S. government granted exclusive use of all of the Black Hills, including Six Grandfathers, to the Sioux in perpetuity.
Six Grandfathers was a significant part of the spiritual journey taken in the early 1870s by Lakota leader Black Elk (Heȟáka Sápa, also known as “The Sixth Grandfather”), that culminated at the nearby Black Elk Peak, (Hiŋháŋ Káǧa, “Making of Owls”) U.S. general George Armstrong Custer summited Black Elk Peak a few years later in 1874 during the Black Hills Expedition, which triggered the Black Hills Gold Rush and Great Sioux War of 1876. In 1877, the U.S. broke the Treaty of Fort Laramie and asserted control over the area, leading to an influx of settlers and prospectors.
Among those prospectors was New York mining promoter James Wilson, who organized the Harney Peak Tin Company, and hired New York attorney Charles E. Rushmore to visit the Black Hills and confirm the company’s land claims. During a visit in 1884 or 1885, Rushmore saw Six Grandfathers and asked his guide, Bill Challis, the mountain’s name; Challis replied that the mountain didn’t have a name, but that it would henceforth be named after Rushmore. The name “Mount Rushmore” continued to be used locally, and was officially recognized by the United States Board of Geographic Names in June 1930.
History of Mount Rushmore: Some Great Facts
History of Mount Rushmore: Mount Rushmore Depicts Four Famous Presidents
The four presidents represented on Mount Rushmore were chosen to represent pivotal times in American history as well as vital American principles and values.
The first president of the United States, George Washington, is known as the “Father of the Country.” His is the largest of the four faces and was carved to commemorate the birth of the United States, the country’s fight for independence, and the development of a new system of government. He’s dressed in a military uniform to represent his role as a leader in the American Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, is most remembered for his contribution to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
His visage was chosen to symbolize the country’s growth and progress, particularly its westward expansion. He is shown holding a book to represent his dedication to study and learning.
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, was an environmentalist and conservationist. His image was chosen to represent the country’s growth and preservation, particularly in terms of natural resources. He is shown wearing a Rough Rider hat and a big mustache, both of which were trademarks of his distinctive style.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is best remembered for his role in saving the Union during the Civil War and his devotion to the abolition of slavery.
His visage was chosen to symbolize the preservation of the country, notably in the areas of democracy and civil rights. He wears a coat and has a severe countenance, indicating his role as a leader during a tough period in American history.
The selection of these four presidents emphasizes American values and objectives, such as democracy, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. They reflect pivotal times in American history and serve as a reminder of the country’s problems and successes.
The four presidents’ faces etched into Mount Rushmore granite have become a symbol of American pride and identity.
History of Mount Rushmore: The sculpture was designed by Danish-American sculptor
Gutzon Borglum, a significant pioneer in the realm of public art and monument design in the early twentieth century, designed the sculpture at Mount Rushmore.
Borglum was chosen for the project due to his competence in large-scale sculpture and his idea for the monument.
His son, Lincoln Borglum, and a crew of other experienced artisans, including stone carvers and dynamite experts, supported him.
The sculpture’s design was meticulously prepared in order to create an enduring and memorable symbol of American patriotism and national identity.
The four presidents’ faces were carved to capture their distinct looks and attributes, as well as to depict the crucial times and values that they represented.
In designing and building the sculpture, Borglum encountered a number of problems, including harsh labor circumstances, financial restraints, and the natural fragility of the rock face.
oday, the sculpture at Mount Rushmore stands as a tribute to Gutzon Borglum’s vision and craftsmanship, as well as the ideas and values that it embodies.
History of Mount Rushmore: The project took more than 14 years to complete
The carving of Mount Rushmore was a massive undertaking that needed a huge amount of time, effort, and resources. The project began in 1927 and was not completed until 1941, a period of more than 14 years.
The artwork was carved using dynamite, jackhammers, and hand tools to remove almost 450,000 tons of granite rock from the mountain face.
The workers started by drilling small holes into the rock and then attaching dynamite charges. They’d next blast the rock, breaking it up into enormous chunks that could be removed with jackhammers and other hand equipment.
After establishing the rough shape of each face, the workers utilized more precise instruments to refine the features and produce the final contours. They would also use drills and chisels to add texture and depth to the faces, giving them a more realistic aspect.
Even with sophisticated tools and equipment, the work was extremely risky and laborious. Workers were had to swing from ropes or operate on perilous scaffolding, frequently high above ground.
They were subjected to adverse weather conditions such as strong temperatures and high gusts, and the task was physically demanding, frequently requiring them to work long hours with few breaks.
Over the course of 14 years, more than 400 workers contributed to the project’s completion. Despite the numerous problems they faced, they were able to produce one of the world’s most distinctive and identifiable landmarks.
Today, the Mount Rushmore sculpture is a treasured emblem of American history and national identity, as well as a monument to their skill, tenacity, and dedication.
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