Experience
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
South Dakota, USA
South Dakota is home to much of America’s farmland and some of its most famous landmarks. Mount Rushmore National Memorial can be found within the Black Hills of South Dakota. As you approach the memorial, you will catch glimpses of the four presidents faces sculpted into the granite mountain.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial was established in March 1925. Sculpture, Gutzon Borglum, created the design for the memorial, selecting the four men for their impact on the country’s history. Sculpting the granite took place between 1927 and 1941 and employed approximately 400 people! Each day, the workers were required to climb 700 steps to the top of the mountain to punch in for work. Most of the mountain was carved using dynamite; there was not one fatality during the 14-year construction period!
A visit to the memorial will greet you with the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. As you walk down the Presidential Trail, learn about the history of the presidents and about the construction of the memorial. Once you get to the end, you’ll be greeted with an up close view of the faces.
Depending on the time of year that you visit, you can explore the Sculptor’s Studio, where you can learn more about Gutzon Borglum and how the workers created the memorial. Then, check out the Lincoln Borglum Visitors Center where they offer exhibits for each president and a theater that plays a short film about how Mount Rushmore was created!
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is free to visit, but there is a parking fee. The fee is good for a full year, as long as you visit in the same car!
Visit the National Parks Service official website to help plan your visit!
