History Behind The Making Of Mount Rushmore

History Behind The Making Of Mount Rushmore

The idea for Mount Rushmore first came about in the early 1920s when South Dakota historian Doane Robinson came up with the idea of attracting more tourism to the Black Hills region. He approached sculptor Gutzon Borglum with the idea of carving giant presidential busts into the granite cliffs. Borglum loved the idea and proposed carving the presidents from head to waist.
Work began on Mount Rushmore in 1927 after Borglum secured federal funding for the project. Over the next 14 years, around 400 workers toiled away at the mountain, using dynamite and chisels to slowly shape the granite cliffs into familiar presidential faces. It was grueling and dangerous work, with the men often working in extreme heat or bitter cold conditions. Despite the risks, no one died during the construction.
Borglum had a grand vision for Mount Rushmore that went beyond just the four presidential faces. He wanted to carve a massive "Hall of Records" behind the faces that would include the Declaration of Independence and other historical documents. Lack of funding prevented this part of the project from being completed. Work finally wrapped up in 1941, though Borglum did not live to see the completion, passing away in March of that year.
The video looks at some of the technical challenges the workers faced in carving the granite cliffs. It also explores the controversy surrounding the project, as the Black Hills hold special significance to the Lakota people. Through historical photos and footage, this video provides a fascinating look into the history and construction of one of America's most iconic landmarks.

[Kriegbaum]

Eighth biggest mountain carving!? What are the bigger ones?

[cjsmith]

Too bad they never completed the archive section.