Celebrating Mount Rushmore's Anniversary October 31
Robert DeckerMount Rushmore National Memorial: History, Facts & Things to Do
Few landmarks are as instantly recognizable as Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Rising from the granite of South Dakota's Black Hills, the 60-foot faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln have become one of the most familiar images in the United States.
But Mount Rushmore is more than a monumental sculpture.
It's a place where American history, engineering, art, tourism, presidential symbolism, Indigenous history, and the extraordinary landscape of the Black Hills all intersect.
Whether you're seeing the sculpture for the first time, walking the Presidential Trail, learning how nearly 400 workers carved the mountain, or using Mount Rushmore as the starting point for a South Dakota National Park road trip, there's much more here than a single famous view.
Mount Rushmore at a Glance
- Location: Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota
- Carving began: October 4, 1927
- Work ended: October 31, 1941
- Faces: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln
- Height of each face: About 60 feet
- Workers: Nearly 400 men and women
- Carving method: About 90% of the rock was removed with dynamite
How Mount Rushmore Began
The idea for a monumental carving in the Black Hills originated with South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson in the 1920s.
Robinson hoped a massive sculpture would attract visitors to South Dakota. His original concept centered on figures from the American West, including explorers, Indigenous leaders, and frontier personalities.
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum, however, envisioned something with a broader national theme. He ultimately chose four presidents intended to symbolize major chapters in the development of the United States.
Borglum associated George Washington with the nation's founding, Thomas Jefferson with expansion, Abraham Lincoln with preservation and unity, and Theodore Roosevelt with development and the growing influence of the United States.
The Black Hills location also offered a massive granite surface and favorable exposure to sunlight.
Actual carving began on October 4, 1927, beginning a project that would continue—with interruptions—for 14 years.
The Four Presidents of Mount Rushmore
George Washington
George Washington, the nation's first president, was chosen to represent the birth of the United States.
His face was the first completed and was dedicated on July 4, 1930.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was selected to represent the growth and expansion of the country, particularly through the Louisiana Purchase.
His portrait presented one of the project's biggest challenges.
Workers originally began carving Jefferson on Washington's right. After about 18 months, flaws in the granite forced Borglum to abandon the location. The unfinished face was blasted away and Jefferson was restarted on Washington's left.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln represented the preservation of the nation through the Civil War and the struggle to maintain the Union.
Lincoln's face was dedicated in 1937.
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt represented the development of the United States as an industrial and increasingly influential world power.
His face, recessed more deeply into the mountain than the others, was dedicated in 1939.
How Was Mount Rushmore Carved?
The scale of the work is difficult to appreciate from the viewing terrace.
Nearly 400 men and women worked on Mount Rushmore between 1927 and 1941. Workers climbed hundreds of stairs to the top of the mountain and were lowered over the granite face in suspended bosun chairs while operating drills and other equipment.
Approximately 90% of the carving was accomplished with dynamite.
Explosives removed large sections of granite until workers were within just a few inches of the finished surface. Drilling, chiseling, and a finishing technique known as "bumping" were then used to create the final contours.
Despite the heights, heavy machinery, explosives, harsh weather, and hazardous working conditions, no workers were killed during the carving of Mount Rushmore.
The original vision was much larger than what visitors see today. Borglum planned to carve the presidents down to approximately the waist and also envisioned a massive Hall of Records behind the sculpture.
Funding limitations, Borglum's death in March 1941, and the approaching U.S. involvement in World War II brought the project to an end. Final drilling took place on October 31, 1941.
The Black Hills Before Mount Rushmore
The history of Mount Rushmore did not begin in 1927.
The Black Hills are sacred to the Lakota and hold cultural and spiritual significance for multiple Indigenous nations. The Lakota call the Black Hills Paha Sapa, and the mountain on which the sculpture was later carved has been associated with the name Six Grandfathers.
The United States recognized the Black Hills as Lakota territory under the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. After gold was discovered in the region in the 1870s, miners entered the Black Hills despite the treaty, contributing to conflict between the United States and Native nations.
Today, Mount Rushmore can simultaneously represent American history and national identity for many visitors while remaining a complicated and painful symbol for Indigenous people whose history in the Black Hills stretches back long before the sculpture was created.
Understanding that broader story adds important context to a visit and reflects the many layers of history connected to this landscape.
Best Things to Do at Mount Rushmore
See the Sculpture From Grand View Terrace
The classic Mount Rushmore experience begins at the Grand View Terrace, where you'll have the straight-on view of all four presidential faces.
Before reaching the terrace, visitors walk through the Avenue of Flags, creating one of the memorial's most recognizable approaches.
Walk the Presidential Trail
The Presidential Trail is the best way to see Mount Rushmore from several different angles.
The approximately 0.6-mile trail passes through ponderosa pine forest and granite outcrops while providing closer and changing perspectives on the sculpture.
The first section is accessible, while the remainder includes more than 400 stairs.
The view from the main terrace is impressive, but the changing angles along the Presidential Trail give you a much better appreciation for the scale of the carving and the surrounding Black Hills landscape.
Visit the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center
The Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center is one of the best places to understand how Mount Rushmore was created.
Exhibits explore the sculpture's history, workers, engineering, and evolving meaning, while the park film provides additional background on the memorial and the people involved in its creation.
See the Sculptor's Studio
During the warmer months, visit the Sculptor's Studio to see the original plaster scale model used in the carving process.
The model is one-twelfth the size of the finished sculpture and helps demonstrate how Borglum's design was transferred from a studio model to an enormous granite mountain.
Stay for the Evening Lighting
Mount Rushmore takes on an entirely different character after sunset.
The sculpture is illuminated nightly throughout the year. During the summer season, the National Park Service also offers an evening program featuring a ranger presentation, film, and illumination of the memorial.
If your schedule allows, seeing Mount Rushmore both in daylight and after dark is worthwhile.
A Mount Rushmore Movie Connection
Mount Rushmore also occupies an unusual place in American popular culture.
Perhaps its most famous movie appearance is Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 thriller North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
The film's climactic chase is set on Mount Rushmore, but there's a fun bit of Hollywood illusion behind it: actors were not actually scrambling across the presidential faces.
After restrictions were placed on filming at the monument, most of the climactic sequence was recreated using elaborate sets and photographic backgrounds at MGM studios.
How Long Do You Need at Mount Rushmore?
If You Have...
- 30–45 minutes: Avenue of Flags and Grand View Terrace
- 1–2 hours: Add the Presidential Trail and Visitor Center
- 2–3 hours: Add the Sculptor's Studio, exhibits, and ranger programs
- An evening: Stay for the lighting program and see the sculpture illuminated after dark
Make Mount Rushmore Part of a South Dakota National Park Road Trip
Mount Rushmore is absolutely worth seeing on its own—but one of the best things about its location is how many extraordinary landscapes are nearby.
Two of my South Dakota favorites are Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park.
Badlands National Park
Badlands offers a landscape completely different from the Black Hills: sharply eroded pinnacles, layered rock formations, prairie grasslands, wildlife, and some of the most dramatic geology in the Great Plains.
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave combines one of the world's longest and most complex cave systems with beautiful mixed-grass prairie above ground, where you may encounter bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dogs.
Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Badlands National Park can be combined into an outstanding Black Hills and western South Dakota road trip.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mount Rushmore
Who are the four presidents on Mount Rushmore?
The sculpture depicts George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
How tall are the faces on Mount Rushmore?
Each presidential face is approximately 60 feet tall.
How long did it take to carve Mount Rushmore?
Work began in October 1927 and ended in October 1941, spanning 14 years, although carving did not occur continuously throughout that entire period.
How many people worked on Mount Rushmore?
Nearly 400 men and women participated in the project in a variety of roles.
Did anyone die while carving Mount Rushmore?
No. Despite the dangerous conditions, there were no fatalities during the carving of Mount Rushmore.
Was Mount Rushmore carved entirely by hand?
No. About 90% of the rock was removed using carefully placed dynamite charges. Drilling and finishing tools were then used to shape the final surface.
Why wasn't Mount Rushmore finished as originally planned?
The original design called for much more of each president's body to be carved. Funding limitations, Gutzon Borglum's death in 1941, and the approaching U.S. entry into World War II ultimately brought work to an end.
Is Mount Rushmore worth visiting?
Yes. Beyond the famous sculpture, the memorial offers hiking, museum exhibits, historic interpretation, ranger programs, dramatic Black Hills scenery, and an opportunity to explore a complex chapter of American history.
Bring Mount Rushmore Home
Mount Rushmore has become one of the most recognizable landmarks in the American West, combining monumental sculpture with the granite peaks and ponderosa pine forests of the Black Hills.
That unmistakable landscape inspired my Mount Rushmore National Memorial Poster.
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