This section of the assignment requires the analysis of one of America’s National monuments. The monument selected to expound upon is the famous and wonderfully sceneic Mt. Rushmore located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mt. Rushmore is an iconic monument, but its grand scale of artistic ingenuity make it one of the most spectacular tributes to America’s forefathers.
It is no secret that this wonderful testament to American history and prowess is within America’s top ten most visited National Monuments. Statistics show that over 2 million people visit the National Park every year (History.com Staff). But how did this mountain come to be, what is the history behind its construction, how was it done, and who is depicted on the mountain?
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The idea behind the creation of Mt. Rushmore was formulated by a person name Doane Robinson. The idea was to create a spectacular visual in order to draw tourists to that region of South Dakota and the Black Hills (Kelly). Construction for Mt. Rushmore began in 1927, and then in 1933 it became part of the National Monument list due to funding received by the National Park System.
The mountain earned its name because a lawyer from New York City; Charles E. Rushmore, traveled to the Black Hills in 1884. He went there so he could then inspect mining claims in the region. The story goes that when Rushmore asked a local man the name of the nearby mountain, he reportedly answered back that it never had a name before, but from now on would be known as Rushmore Peak (History.com Staff).
The way the mountain was carved to resemble the likenesses of the Presidents chosen is simply through an explosive known as dynamite. The Presidents faces that are carved into the mountain (in order of appearance are: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Some interesting numbers about the project are that it took fourteen years to complete. The entire project just cost under 1 million dollars to complete, which was probably an extremely expensive amount in those days. It was probably the equivalent to costing 10 millions dollars today.
To give it a little perspective as to the size, Washington’s face alone is 60 feet long. Knowing how large it is, it should be noted that nobody was killed during the entire building process over the 14 year project. That in itself is a very impressive statistic consider the dangerous conditions they were working in. They were dealing with unstable rock and using high explosives. Avalanches and other hazards could have easily claimed the lives of some of the workers.
Each President was chosen for various roles and accomplishments they had done as great American leaders. President George Washington was chosen because not only was he the father of America and the first President, but he played an integral role in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson was chosen because he upheld the backbone of democracy, and believed that man should be allowed to govern themselves. Theodore Roosevelt was selected because he was such a strong leader and extremely well liked by the American People. He was also the person who created the United States National Parks. Without him, people may not have all this great land to go and visit. Lastly, Abraham Lincoln was added because he believed in humane equality for all. He was also solely responsible for abolishing slavery in the United States. So in summary, they selected the greatest leaders and positive influencers to honor them forever on the mountainside.
The construction of Mt. Rushmore was actually never finished and the reason is pretty simple, they just ran out of money. There are caves located behind the faces called The Hall of Records, but never go completed. Another reason that it took so long, is at first they were carving Jefferson on the opposite of where the relief is located now. But it was not working and there were many complications so they had to move it to the other side.
According to a study conducted in 2013, Mt. Rushmore is the crown jewel of tourism for the State of South Dakota. Over 2 million visitors come from all over the world to see the wonderful mountain sculpture. It also generates quite a bit of revenue for the state. In 2010 visitors to the National Monument earned the State an addition 118 million in revenue (Peterson). That is a lot of money generated for the State and to South Dakota Mt. Rushmore is priceless.
Out of all the major National Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, etc. this one seemed the most interesting. It was selected because of the fact that it was difficult to make, had such an interesting background and that it depicts faces of the greatest early American leaders in a glorious immortal homage. The location is interesting too as the monument was constructed outside of Washington DC or New York where a lof of other monument are located. The state of South Dakota is interesting as well, would it even be that popular of a State if it was not for Mt. Rushmore? The answer is unlikely. The State does have other National Parks, but nothing compares to the appeal and splendor of Mt. Rushmore. Hopefully it will be around for all of time and that they continue to maintain it so that it will last the test of time. It would a fantastic place to visit. It seems to be surrounded by stunning scenario, a glorious forest and dramatic looking mountains.
Every person who is interested in American history or is simply a patriotic citizen of the country should take the time and plan a trip for a visit. You would also be doing good to help stimulate the economy of South Dakota which is a good thing to do. Plus you get a great history lesson out of the experience and that is priceless.
- “America’s Top 10 National Monuments.” America’s Top 10 National Monuments. Web. 16 May 2014. http://americathebeautiful.com/monuments.html
- “Mount Rushmore.” History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 14 May 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/mount-rushmore
- “Mount Rushmore – Facts About Mount Rushmore.” About.com American History. Web. 16 May 2014. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/monuments/a/mount-rushmore.htm
- “New Budget Fix: Pawn Mount Rushmore?” MSNMoney. Web. 16 May 2014. http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=2079397a-6005-41c8-966f-bc56ed64e6d6
- United States. National Park Service. “Frequently Asked Questions.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 16 May 2014. http://www.nps.gov/faqs.htm
- “United States Parks, United States National Monuments | GORP.com.” Gorp.com. Web. 16 May 2014. http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/united-states-national-monuments-outdoor-pp1-guide-cid62-ctid812.html
