You will be in total awe of Mount Rushmore when you see the massive granite rock sculptures which are carved into the side of the mountainous hills from an up close view!
The defining figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota make Mount Rushmore a favorite tourist attraction for millions of visitors a year!
A man by the name of Gutzon Borglum took many years blasting through the granite side of the mountain with dynamite and his men then began using chisels and other tools to carve the faces of these four men into the rock, taking several dozens of years to complete.
When visiting Mount Rushmore, you can watch a short documentary about Gutzon Borglum and the creation of this great memorial while inside the Visitor Center. While touring Mount Rushmore, my family and I have watched this film a few times and it never gets old learning about the building of something so magnificent back in a time when there was very limited tools and machinery to do so.
You can then walk through a mini museum type of display where you can see many pictures taken during the progress of Mount Rushmore, see many of the tools they had used to create this wonderful masterpiece, as well as learn about each phase of its creation.
Stepping out onto the back patio area of the Visitor Center, you will suddenly find yourself up close to one of the United States greatest achievements when it comes to National Parks and Memorials!
Staring up at the massive figures instantly brings one back in time, causing you to really ponder the birth of our nation and the role each man carved into the side of this mountain had in it!
Along with great scenery, Mount Rushmore offers you equally great food to purchase and eat during your visit as well as an abundance of various information packets, souvenirs and other goodies that you can purchase and enjoy or take with you as well!
Definitely worth the stop for a few hours!
For more information, please visit the Mount Rushmore website at: www.nps.gov
Back to South Dakota
Back to South Dakota
Back to Creator’s Travel Home Page