Mount Rushmore

August 11th, made it to Mt. Rushmore.  I think everyone knows this sculpture is huge, but I didn't realize just how massive it was until I saw it (semi) up closed.  It is huge!  The story of how the sculpture was done might be more interesting than the actual sculpture itself.  

Whoa!

The design and idea for Mount Rushmore came from sculptor Gutzon Borglum.  The sculpture was done with mostly dynamite.  The sculpting started in 1927 and was finished in 1941.  There were over 400 workers helping with the sculpting of the mountain.  According to the park the workers got so good at judging were to blast, 90% of the sculpting was done with dynamite.

Jeffersons recipe for ice cream 1780s

 There are several things to see at the park; Presidential Trail (it takes you under the sculpture), compressor house, sculptors studio (has information about Borglum and has a model of Lincoln's face, these were done by Borglum to take up to the mountain, so the workers had a reference when sculpting), Avenue of Flags (has state flags and the date when they became part of the US).  Along the trail it had information on each President, why they were chosen by Borglum, and quotes from the Presidents and Borglum.

Lincoln

Washington

Roosevelt

Jefferson

View from Presidential Trail