The Hidden Engineering of Mount Rushmore

Have you ever wondered how Mount Rushmore was actually sculpted? In this video, discover how Gutzon Borglum and his team carved the iconic 60-foot faces of U.S. presidents into the granite of South Dakota’s Black Hills. Learn about the unique techniques used to transform Mount Rushmore into a national monument and the fascinating history behind its creation. Stay until the end for details on our next giveaway and explore the incredible engineering that made Mount Rushmore one of the most famous landmarks in the world.

Enter this month’s giveaway:

Short on time? Feel free to skip ahead in this video using the chapter links below.

00:00 The Iconic Mount Rushmore
00:49 The Vision Behind Mount Rushmore
01:50 Borglum's Master Plan
02:34 Carving George Washington
04:57 Mapping Mount Rushmore
06:10 Borglum's Pointing Machine
07:44 Why Mount Rushmore Was Left Unfinished

Thanks for watching this Primal Space video. If you enjoyed it, let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to subscribe so you can see more videos like this!

Support Primal Space by becoming a Patron!

Twitter:

References:

3D Modeler: Orkun Zengin

Music used in this video:

As History Unfolds - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
To Loom Is To Love - The Mini Vandals
Inspiring Cinematic Asia - Lexin Music
Sunset Trails - DJ Williams
Melting Glass - Eden Avery
Eternal Garden - Dan Henig
Sprightly Pursuit - Cooper Cannell
Double You - The Mini Vandals
Gentle Heroics - Trevor Kowalski

#MountRushmore #EngineeringMarvel #USHistory

[SophiFike]

I'm astonished that nobody was lost on this project.

[fasfan]

Before the faces were carved, Mt. Rushmore's beauty was un-presidented.

[scottpayne]

Hanging in a harness for eight hours is tough enough, but using a jackhammer the entire time would be absolutely punishing! Solid video!

[_fishy]

One missed detail about Greek (and Roman) sculpture explaining the smooth eyes is that most of their statues were painted, just like their buildings.

[kdm_entertainment]

With inflation thats about $9USD an hour today. Still terrible!

[Lena_]

I never thought that deeply about how Mount Rushmore was carved out but honestly now that I know the impressive history and engineering behind it, I really wanna see it myself

[chrisbrowning]

Like many, I feel the eyes were an absolute work of genius, but I'm also amazed that no lives were lost in the process.

[craig]

What if you're jack-hammering, and whoops, there goes half the nose?

[cnilecnile]

My grandfather, and his twin brother were the dynamite guys on this project. That's one of them at 0:22

[doankhang]

This is truly a hard work. 14 years is such a long time for an art project.

[nada-fm]

The fact that no lives where lost is incredible, definitely one of the world's greatest masterpieces.

[IramMahmudRuhan]

Just watched your video, and now I can't stop thinking about Mount Rushmore in a whole new way. The way you broke it down made me realize how crazy it must have been to create something that massive. It’s not just a monument anymore; it feels like these giant faces are staring back at us with untold stories. You really got me thinking about how much more there is to history than we actually know or see. Hoping that I can see that in person in USA.

[Rihan-vryi]

The fact that mount Rushmore is still attracting people\tourism even tho its not completely finished is just insane

[JordiR]

I'm familiar with Mount Rushmore but I haven't ever looked at it in detail. This video was amazing because it only showed the final product at the end and it really made me appreciate the effort that Borglum and those men put into the project. Especially the eyes are so perfect

[rndomclipz]

Never actually been to mount rushmore (I live in europe) but it still fascinates me how it was built, the message it sends, and the lack of injury related to it.

[Project-Air]

Super interesting video! I’ve always wondered how it was done - but now I know! 🔨

[mexicanrvolution]

Those are ancient sacred mountains to the Lakota tribe it should have been mentioned. The us government broke their treaty

[virtual-EX]

Mount Rushmore is truly a marvel of engineering and art! The combination of explosives for large-scale work and meticulous hand carving for the finer details is mind-blowing.

[DrGru]

Hashirama and Madara once sat together on top of that mountain

[ramin]

Rushmore proved himself as a genius when working at the eyes