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Visit Mount Rushmore South DakotaWashington, Lincoln , Roosevelt & Jefferson Carved in Stone
In the hills of South Dakota, Gutzon Borglum carved massive sculptures of American Presidents into the mountain side. Mount Rushmore is an enduring symbol of democracy.
Four stony faces stare down a mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The sculptured faces of former American presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln dominate Mount Rushmore. From a vantage point 500 feet up the mountain side, these iconic leaders look down on today’s American citizens, as they flock to admire the sculptures and remember their heritage. The “Shrine of Democracy” was the brainchild of sculptor Gutzon Borglum. He started drilling the mountain in 1927, and sculpting the four heads took fourteen years, and the help of 400 men. The total cost was a little under $1 million, a mere fraction of its value today. Each face is about 60 feet tall, and sculpted in incredible detail, Borglum’s original plan was for each President to be sculpted to the waist; but work ceased on the project following Borglum’s death in 1941. Each head is roughly 80 times the size of a human head and a full length statue, on the same scale, would be about 465 feet tall! Roughly 2 million visitors a year visit Mount Rushmore, which is 24 miles south west of Rapid City, near the town of Keystone. From the Information Center, visitors walk down the Avenue of Flags; where the flags of 50 states and 6 territories proudly proclaim the diversity of the Union. The Avenue leads to the aptly named Grandview Terrace, and from there the Presidential Trail is a half-mile circular walk, offering stunning views of faces usually only seen on banknotes and stamps. The memorial is part of the National Park service and rangers take organized walks and talks, as well as answering less formal questions. The walks include guided walks round the Presidential Trail and visits to the Sculptor’s Studio, from where Borglum masterminded this massive operation. The Lincoln Borglam Museum has interpretive programs, exhibits and a film and, during the summer, a nightly lighting program is held in the amphitheater, where the mountain is slowly lit, until it is fully illuminated. The monument, which is completely accessible, has a gift shop, book store and dining facilities. ContactMount Rushmore National Memorial , 13000 Hwy 244 Bldg 31 Suite 1 , Keystone, SD 57751 +1 (605) 574-2307 Getting thereThe memorial is 24 miles south west of Rapid City on highway 244, just off highway 16. There are no public transport services Opening HoursVary according to season, please contact the park direct. AdmissionFree of charge. Travel Information from South Dakota Tourism
The copyright of the article Visit Mount Rushmore South Dakota in South Dakota Travel is owned by John Oyston. Permission to republish Visit Mount Rushmore South Dakota in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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