Mount Rushmore (2)
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a vast and impressive monument carved into the face of Mount Rushmore, a mountain located in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. The idea for the memorial was first conceived by historian Doane Robinson in 1923, with the aim of promoting tourism in the area. The project was eventually taken on by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who oversaw its execution from 1927 to 1941, aided by his son, Lincoln Borglum. The monument features the 60-foot-tall 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. The memorial park covers 1,278 acres and the mountain itself stands at an elevation of 5,725 feet above sea level. It attracts over two million visitors every year and is sometimes referred to as the "Shrine of Democracy". The sculpture was created using dynamite and a process called "honeycombing", which involves drilling holes close together to allow small pieces of rock to be removed by hand. In total, around 450,000 short tons of rock were blasted off the mountain. The chief carver was Luigi Del Bianco, an Italian artisan and stonemason. The project cost $989,992.32 and was completed in 1941 with no fatalities.
The sacred ancestor of the Ngāi Tahu, the main tribe of New Zealand's southern region, is Aoraki. This ancestor is revered by the tribe and is seen as a link between the supernatural and natural worlds. It is also the embodiment of the tribe's sense of community and purpose.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a monument located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It features the 60-foot-tall heads of four United States Presidents carved into the granite face of the mountain: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The monument was created by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln, from 1927 to 1941. It was intended to represent the nation's birth, growth, development, and preservation. The park covers 1,278 acres and the mountain has an elevation of 5,725 feet above sea level. It is sometimes referred to as the "Shrine of Democracy" and attracts more than two million visitors annually.
In the heart of the Black Hills region of South Dakota lies Mount Rushmore, a majestic mountain carved with the faces of four United States presidents - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. This iconic attraction draws in over two million visitors each year, making it the state's top tourist destination. The mountain, also known as "The Six Grandfathers" or "Cougar Mountain" to the Lakota Sioux, holds a special significance to the tribe as it sits on land that was promised to them under the Treaty of 1868. However, after the discovery of gold on the land, American settlers migrated to the area and the government forced the Sioux to give up their claim to the Black Hills.
Construction on Mount Rushmore began in 1927, with the presidents' faces being completed between 1934 and 1939. The project, which was funded by the federal government and sponsored by South Dakota Senator Peter Norbeck, was led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Borglum's son, Lincoln, took over after his father's death in 1941, but the project was ultimately unfinished due to a lack of funding. The mountain is now maintained by the National Park Service and various efforts have been made to conserve the site, including the use of modern silicone sealant to protect the stone and the installation of electronic monitoring devices to track movement in the mountain's topology.
The flora and fauna of Mount Rushmore mirror those of the surrounding Black Hills area. A variety of birds, including eagles and hawks, can be found in the region, as well as terrestrial mammals such as raccoons, beavers, and bison. The area is also home to various species of frogs, snakes, and fish. Despite not being native to the region, a group of mountain goats also roam the area - descendants of a tribe gifted to Custer State Park in 1924 that later escaped.
Mount Rushmore is known for its massive granite sculptures of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The idea for the monument was conceived in 1923 by historian Doane Robinson, who hoped to promote tourism in South Dakota. He enlisted sculptor Gutzon Borglum to create the carvings, which began in 1927 and were completed in 1941. Funding for the project came from both the federal government and private sources, and the entire project cost approximately $989,992.32. The site was officially dedicated in 1991 and is now maintained by the National Park Service. It is a popular tourist attraction, with over 2 million visitors per year, and is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including birds, mammals, and amphibians. The surrounding area is predominantly forested with coniferous trees, and the monument receives about 18 inches of precipitation per year, supporting a diverse ecosystem.
Mount Rushmore, known to the Lakota Sioux as "The Six Grandfathers" or "Cougar Mountain," is a massive sculpture located in South Dakota that features the faces of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The monument was conceived by historian Doane Robinson in 1923 as a way to promote tourism in the state, and sculptor Gutzon Borglum was hired to create the carvings. Work began in 1927 and was completed in 1941, with a total cost of around $1 million. Mount Rushmore attracts millions of visitors each year and is an iconic and beloved national monument. Its surrounding area is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, including birds, mammals, and various species of trees and wildflowers. In recent years, the area has faced some environmental challenges, including contamination from aerial fireworks displays and infestations of pine beetles.
As the sun began to set on the Black Hills of South Dakota, the faces of four iconic American presidents emerged from the granite cliffs. Mount Rushmore, known to the Lakota Sioux as "The Six Grandfathers" or "Cougar Mountain," had been carved over a period of 14 years by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his team of workers. The mountain, which faced southeast and basked in the warm glow of the sun, was chosen by Borglum for its grandeur and the opportunity it presented to showcase the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These presidents, chosen by Borglum for their role in preserving the Republic and expanding its territory, were carved into the mountain at a height of 60 feet, representing the first 150 years of American history. The Mount Rushmore National Memorial, now under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, continues to draw millions of visitors each year and stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of these four great leaders.
As the second largest industry in South Dakota, tourism flourishes at Mount Rushmore, the state's top tourist attraction. In 2012, over two million people visited the park. The iconic nature of the monument, as well as its proximity to wilderness, contribute to its popularity. The National Park Service oversees the conservation of the site, including the use of modern silicone sealant to repair cracks in the stone and electronic monitoring to track movement in the rock. The flora and fauna of the area include various species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and plants, with ponderosa pines covering much of the lower elevations. There have been instances of perchlorate contamination in the surface and ground water due to Independence Day fireworks, as well as forest fires caused by these displays. The rock of the mountain is made up of durable granite, which only erodes about an inch every ten thousand years. However, it is not possible to add any more figures to the memorial due to the lack of suitable rock and potential harm to the existing carvings.
Mount Rushmore is known for its iconic sculptures of four US Presidents, carved into the granite of the Black Hills in South Dakota. The project, led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, began in 1927 and was completed in 1941. The site is maintained by the National Park Service and attracts millions of tourists each year. The mountain is composed of granite and has a dry-winter humid continental climate. Despite its enduring popularity, there have been proposals to add additional presidents to the monument, though the rock is not suitable for further carving and such a project could potentially destabilize the existing sculptures.
Mount Rushmore, the iconic national monument featuring the carved faces of four United States presidents, has made numerous appearances in popular media. From being the setting for action scenes to being depicted as a secret base of operations, the monument has played various roles in films, TV shows, and comic books. It has even been targeted in some works as a symbol of the scope of a threat, with attacks ranging from facial replacements to natural disasters to terrorist attacks. In one unusual representation, the monument was criticized for being unfinished in the film Nebraska. Mount Rushmore's fame and recognizability make it a popular choice for filmmakers looking to add a dramatic touch to their stories.
As the sun began to set on the Black Hills of South Dakota, a group of Lakota people made their way towards the towering mountain known as Mount Rushmore. For years, this site had been the source of contention for the tribe, as the land had been granted to them in perpetuity by the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868, only to be taken from them after the Great Sioux War of 1876. Led by John Fire Lame Deer, a Lakota holy man, the group approached the monument with determination in their hearts. As they reached the base of the mountain, Lame Deer planted a prayer staff on top of the mountain, shrouding the faces of the presidents carved into the rock. "This staff shall remain dirty until the treaties concerning the Black Hills are fulfilled," Lame Deer declared. Meanwhile, construction continued on the Crazy Horse Memorial, a tribute to the Native American leader that was meant to rival Mount Rushmore in size. The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation had rejected offers of federal funds and its construction was both supported and controversial among Native American tribes. As the night fell, the Lakota people left the mountain, their hearts heavy with the weight of their history.
The original visitor center at Mount Rushmore was designed by Harold Spitznagel and Cecil Doty and completed in 1957. It was part of a larger effort to improve visitor facilities at national parks and monuments across the country called Mission 66. In 1998, after ten years of redevelopment, the memorial was completed with the addition of extensive visitor facilities, including the Lincoln Borglum Museum and the Presidential Trail. The memorial requires regular maintenance to seal cracks in the rock, but budget constraints prevent regular cleaning to remove lichens. However, in 2005, a German manufacturer of pressure washing machines conducted a free cleaning operation using pressurized water at over 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In 1966, Mount Rushmore was added to the National Register of Historic Places and in 1991, it was officially dedicated by President George H. W. Bush. There have been numerous proposals to add more presidents to the monument, including John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama, but the rock is not suitable for additional carving and any additional sculpting could potentially destabilize the existing carvings.
Mount Rushmore, a national memorial located in South Dakota, has gained recognition for its depiction of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The site has become a popular tourist attraction, with over 2 million visitors in 2012. In addition to its recognition in film and television, Mount Rushmore has also been honored on stamps and coins issued by the U.S. Post Office and Mint. The memorial has also sparked controversy, as it was built on land originally granted to the Lakota people by the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868, leading to ongoing disputes over compensation for the land. Native American activist groups, such as the American Indian Movement, have protested the memorial and called for the return of the land to indigenous control. In recent years, demonstrations have occurred at the site, including a protest during a campaign rally by President Donald Trump in 2020. The monument has also been the subject of criticism in music, with the song "Little Snakes" by Protest The Hero condemning it as a symbol of colonialism. Despite this controversy, Mount Rushmore remains an iconic and widely recognized site in the United States.