DATE: October 7, 2015
HISTORICAL
SITE: Mount Rushmore (Shrine
of Democracy)
LOCATION: 13000 SD-244, Keystone, Pennington Co., South
Dakota 57751
MARKER #: 66000718
DEDICATED: October 15, 1966
PERSONAL
REFLECTIONS:
Not quite as breathtaking as the Grand Canyon or the Painted
Desert, Mt. Rushmore is still a sight to see. I can write all kinds of
adjectives to describe the size and undertaking this must have been but it’s
one of those things you need to see for yourself. Where the Grand Canyon’s
beauty lies in its creation, no matter how you felt that happened, the grandeur
of Mt. Rushmore is man’s determination to leave a lasting memorial to a great
nation.
The mountain was known by its Native American name “Six
Grandfathers” and was part of the Lakota Nation. After the Great Sioux War of
1876, the U.S. seized lands given to the Lakota in perpetuity as part of the
Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868. The mountain was renamed Mt. Rushmore after
Charles E. Rushmore led an expedition to the area in 1885.
A state historian of South Dakota, Doane Robinson, came up
with the idea of carving in the mountains. He knew it would bring tourists…and
dollars…to the area. He contacted a sculptor who was unavailable. Robinson knew
of Gutzon Borglum but he was currently working in Georgia on a monument to
General Lee. Borglum was in a dispute with the developers and when Robinson
approached him, he eagerly signed on.
On board with the project, there was disagreement between
Robinson who wanted something that represented the west (Lewis & Clark,
Buffalo Bill Cody, Red Cloud), while Borglum felt it should be something more
on a national level.
Borglum wanted the memorial to speak to the “spirit and ideals
of American geographical expansion and political development”. The two almost
immediately agreed upon Washington and Lincoln and for some time, these were
the only sculptures that were going to be done.
It was Borglum who ultimately decided on the 4 presidents. To
me, three were very obvious choices, but I had a problem with Roosevelt until I
read why he was picked.
Washington…for contribution to the struggle for independence
and the establishment of the government and constitution.
Jefferson…for his firm belief of government by the people, but
also the purchase of the Louisiana territory that was a great example of the
spirit of American continental growth.
Lincoln for equality of all men and the preservation of the
union.
Roosevelt for the role of the U.S. in world affairs and
definitely reflecting the restless spirit that made the ocean to ocean republic
inevitable.
Now that the subjects were picked, they needed the funding.
Robinson wanted the funds to come from South Dakota but the voters didn’t see
the same economic vision he had. Borglum went to the Sec of the Treasury for
funding. He asked for only ½ of the funds necessary thinking he wouldn’t have
problems getting the “matching” funds from private sources. The Senator
introducing the funding bill was stunned that Borglum turned down the offer of
full funding.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial was established in October
1925 to “symbolize the spirit and ideas of westward expansion of America and
the growth of democratic ideals and institutions”.
Legislation passed giving $250,000.00 in “matching” funds
collected elsewhere. It was those matching funds that caused problems until
finally it was dropped and the Feds took up full funding in later years.
Drilling began in late 1927 with the cornerstone being laid
and President Coolidge’s dedication on August 10, 1927. Borglum started with 16
former Black Hills gold miners and ended training more than 300 men during the life
of the project.
The Washington bust was unveiled on July 4, 1930 and work
started that same year on Jefferson but as they worked, it was realized there
wasn’t enough room on Washington’s left to finish. The outline was blasted away
in 1934 and started again on Washington’s right. Jefferson’s bust was dedicated
on August 30, 1936 with President Roosevelt speaking at the unveiling.
A bill introduced in 1937 for funding included that the bust
of Susan B. Anthony would be added to the monument. The reasons it failed can
be argued, but the official reason was because of a mandate that federal funds
could only be used on those carvings already begun.
In planning, Lincoln’s bust was supposed to be directly to
Jefferson’s right but had to be moved farther to make room for the two already
completed. Lincoln’s was dedicated on September 17, 1938.
The position of the Roosevelt bust needed to be between
Jefferson and Lincoln, but Borglum wasn’t sure there was enough surface for
sculpting. After blasting away 120 feet of granite, suitable stone was
uncovered and the bust was dedicated on July 2, 1939.
Gutzon Borglum died in March 1941, with the project
incomplete. The figures were supposed to be from the waist up but funding dried
up and Borglum’s son oversaw the scaled back finishing.
Before Borglum’s death he had said the monument would be there
“until the wind and rain alone shall wear them away”.
In the end, 400,000 + tons of rock was blasted away with a
final cost of $989,992.32
More importantly, in the 14 years of blasting and sculpting,
absolutely no lives were lost.
Dirk and I messed up by not realizing there was an exhibit
area until about 30 minutes before it closed so we had to hurriedly go through
and I’m sure we missed a lot. Maybe we’ll get back there some day.
One of the notes that I had made during the trip really should
have been included in the “Missouri Here I Come” blog. It’s a new game I call “Deer
Dodge”. You know the signs we’ve all seen…Deer Crossing…I’ve always wondered
what I would do if one actually crossed.
My first experience with it was back in June when Dirk and I
were coming back from St. Louis. A deer jumped on to the freeway in front of
us. Thankfully, there was only us and one other car nearby. The other car
ducked in behind me…oh sure, let me hit the darn thing. I slowed WAY down and
it finally trotted off.
So in all these years, that is the only deer I’ve seen on a
highway…until now. From about ½ way through Wyoming, we’ve seen the occasional
deer on the side of the road. Yes, alive. Then last night, after we left the
Oregon Trail Ruts, we had to slow to a crawl because a few deer in the road.
Then tonight, after leaving Mt. Rushmore, I’ve seen many deer on the road or
near the road. Nothing like a deer passing in front of you to raise your heart
rate and make you pay much closer attention to the road at dusk and nightfall.
I really never want a story to start with…remember that deer I
hit?
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