The Making of Mount Rushmore
The 70th anniversary of the completion of the South Dakota monument prompts a look back at what it took to create it
- By Megan Gambino
- Smithsonian.com, October 31, 2011
(National Park Service)
When Borglum was in South Dakota, Robinson took him to see the “needles.” But the sculptor felt that the granite spires were too spindly to carve. Even if he could feasibly do it, Borglum told Robinson, “Figures on those granite spikes would only look like misplaced totem poles. We will have to look farther.”
A year later, in 1925, Borglum scouted the area surrounding Harney Peak for a mountain or piece of granite that was solid enough to hold a figure. “As an artist, he was very interested in light and making sure that the morning sunrise hit the face of the granite,” says Bracewell. A state forester led Borglum on horseback to three mountains he thought would be appropriate—Old Baldy, Sugarloaf and finally Mount Rushmore.
From all accounts, it seems that Borglum fell for Mount Rushmore at first sight. Its 400-foot high and 500-foot wide east-facing wall would serve as the perfect carving block, according to the sculptor. Hours after he laid eyes on it, Borglum told the Rapid City Journal that there was “no piece of granite comparable to it in the United States.”
The following day, Borglum and a few others climbed Mount Rushmore, named after Charles Rushmore, an attorney who assessed mining claims in the area in the 1880s. Some members of the press and officials in Rapid City, the nearest population center about 25 miles northeast, were disappointed with Borglum’s selection, since it was in such a remote, roadless area of the state. But geologists approved. “They assured the sculptor that the ancient granite was extremely hard, and incredibly durable, and that the fissures were probably only skin deep,” wrote Gutzon’s son Lincoln Borglum and June Culp Zeitner in the 1976 book Borglum’s Unfinished Dream: Mount Rushmore.
Comments (13)
this doesnt help atallll
Posted by gracie on September 19,2012 | 09:16 AM
I've been researching my geneology and I did know my family owned the lumber company that provided scaffolding & etc for the construction of the monument & upon reading this article I also was able to confirm my great great grandfather was the mayor of Rapid City! No wonder I felt at home when I vacationed in South Dakota for the Sturgis Rally. I love this state even more!
Posted by Jana Boland on July 6,2012 | 08:00 AM
My great grandfather is Chris Vranich. He is on the memorial wall and worked on the build of Mount Rushmore. Yesterday I received many photos. Among them are four photos of my grandfather working on Mount Rushmore. Another ten or so photos are of him with his wife and children with the mountain in the background, under progress of being built. Also a few photos of their home at the time, which was located at the base of the mountain. It got me looking around online and these are some wonderful photos shown here also!! Very beautiful.
Posted by Shasta Espeland on April 25,2012 | 09:04 PM
I like this monument because it contains the picture of best president.
Posted by Brook Y. on December 8,2011 | 02:51 PM
This is a really good article about the making of Rushmore. Also glad to see the mention of the Lakota opposition to it.
A lot of people forget the Black Hills were sacred ground to the Lakota Sioux. So, it's not surprising they were offended by this shrine to their oppressors.
I wish they'd been able to finish the Hall of Records behind Mount Rushmore. When you read about it, it sounds impressive.
Michael D Walker
Thorne Smith biographer
Posted by Michael D Walker on November 28,2011 | 05:16 PM
Great information. I remember visiting Mt. Rushmore during a field trip to our Gillette natural gas operations in Wyoming. It was a nice drive. I do hope someday consideration will be given to adding a fourth head to the monument, that of America's first black president and Noble peace laureate, Barack H. Obama.
Posted by Angelo Pinheiro on November 27,2011 | 09:31 PM
A very good and very balanced account of the construction of Mt. Rushmore and the surrounding issues is found in Judith StGeorge's book, The Mt. Rushmore Story.
Posted by Taza Keene on November 13,2011 | 08:34 PM
The monument should have been dedicated to Sitting Bull, Tecumseh, Red Cloud, and the other great Native American leaders, who are the true founding fathers.
Posted by Sioiux on November 11,2011 | 03:05 PM
This was a wonderful article. My family operated the National Park Concession for 40+ years so I had the privelege of growing up at Mt. Rushmore. It will always be home.
Posted by Kate Riordan Gordon on November 8,2011 | 04:25 PM
while I was reading this story, I admired those people who was build monument. This story is only a word with wonderful
Posted by Sinem Sipahioglu on November 4,2011 | 12:09 PM
Great summary story of the making of Mount Rushmore and the celebration of its 70th. year after completion. Nice piece to add the factual recentment that the Lakoda Indians have/had.
Posted by Carter Gilmer on November 4,2011 | 10:53 AM
Ann and I stayed below Mount Rushmore in June 2011 for a week. We truly loved every minute that we woke up and looked up at George Washington looking down upon us and the valley. We took hundreds of pictures of Mount Rushmore and the surrounding area. Those four (4) Presidents being above us made us SO proud. Thanks for keeping the area in such a lovely condition for everyone to come see and be proud of America and your area of our country. We WILL BE back in the future to view the area in the future.
Posted by John E. O'Shea on November 3,2011 | 09:08 PM
Great story, and balanced regarding American Indian views of Mt. Rushmore. My grandmother corresponded with many artists of the time, including Gutzon Borglum.
It was probably gold prospectors panning for gold who invaded, rather than panhandlers.
Posted by Richard Merrill on November 3,2011 | 04:39 PM