Mt. Rushmore

Doane Robinson is known as the “Father of Mount Rushmore”, and it was his idea to carve the huge faces in the Black Hills. He wanted to create an attraction that would draw people from all over the country to his state and he wanted it to be free.  He contacted Gutzon Borglum, a well known sculptor, in August of 1924. Borglum accepted the offer and after a couple of meetings they found the site where the carvings would be completed.  They had a hard time getting the funding for the project.  Work began in 1927 and about 400 workers took until 1941 to complete the work.  

But over the years our wonderful government has added some million yards of parking structure that you do need to pay for, entry area, avenue of flags, shops, snack area, and theaters and with it all of the workers and security guards just standing around it is a shame.  I’m sure it’s not what was in anyone’s mind when they came up with the idea.

Don’t get me too wrong, I did love the carvings in the mountain; it is well done, detailed and magnificent. It’s just the rest of the stuff that detracts from it.

And as my husband said, for all Americans it is a real site to see.