I've been to Mount Rushmore twice. The first time was in 1985 when Rachel P. (RIP) and I took a cross-country trip. The second time was in 2011 when the NCERA-214 met in nearby Spearfish, South Dakota. I went a few days early to do some traveling around the Black Hills. Mount Rushmore had changed considerably since I had been there in 1985. The monument hadn't changed, of course, but the area around it had. More developed. More touristy. But better.
Welcome to Mount Rushmore
Same picture, 1985
Mount Rushmore is one of America's most recognizable landmarks. Carving started in 1927 with 400 workers. It ended in 1941 with no fatalities. The four American presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and T. Roosevelt) were chosen to represent the first 150 years of American history. They were selected for their roles in preserving the Republic and expanding its territory. The idea for Mount Rushmore came from Stone Mountain, the controversial carving of Confederate generals into the side of a Georgia mountain.
Entrance to the monument
Viewing area
Avenue of flags
Grand View Terrace
A tribute to the carvers
Each face is 60 feet high.
From the road
Native Americans call the mountain "Six Grandfathers."
It's not surprising that Native Americans opposed Mount Rushmore. To them, it was built on "stolen" land, and land that was sacred. Their people also suffered under the policies of the four presidents depicted. The Crazy Horse monument is being built 17 miles from Mount Rushmore. Crazy Horse was a Lakota warrior who challenged the US government. Construction began in 1948 and unfortunately is far from completed. In fact, I didn't see much difference between 1985 and 2011. In addition, the monument remains a subject of controversy among native peoples.
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