What Is Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a massive sculpture of four presidential faces in the Black Hills of South Dakota!
What Makes It Historical?
On December 28, 1923, South Dakota’s state historian, Doane Robinson, decided that the Black Hills needed a sculpture to boost the region’s tourism! He contacted sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, who was working on Georgia’s Stone Mountain for the Daughters of the Confederacy, using precision dynamite in his work.
Mr. Borglum agreed to scope out the Black Hills, and together with Mr. Robinson, they decided on this granite mountain, which had been known as Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe, or Six Grandfathers, before the US Army broke the Treaty of Fort Laramie and took over the Black Hills. The name “Rushmore” came from New York lawyer, Charles E. Rushmore, whose mining friends had registered this mountain under his name with the General Land Office in Washington, DC!
From there, the two courted President Calvin Coolidge, who was traveling in the Black Hills, and the president promised federal funding for the project. The first carving took place on August 10, 1927, and the four presidents were completed in the following order: Washington on July 4, 1930, Jefferson on August 30, 1936, Lincoln on September 17, 1937, and Teddy Roosevelt on July 2, 1939. Since Mr. Borglum died before completion of the sculpture, the final details fell to his son, Lincoln.
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Mount Rushmore National Memorial!
- Donate to Mount Rushmore National Memorial!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
13000 SD-244
Keystone, SD 57751
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
Mount Rushmore is open all year from 5:00 AM until 9:00 PM, while visitor center hours are from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM!
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