Statues and Memorials:
Mount Rushmore

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In the Black Hills of South Dakota, stands the national memorial, Mount Rushmore, created by Gutzon Borglum. It was designed as a testament to the growth of the country and its great leaders. This magnificent rock carving depicts the 60-foot high (18.3 m) faces of four great U.S. Presidents. They are:

George Washington

Thomas Jefferson

Theodore Roosevelt

Abraham Lincoln

Borglum started drilling into the 6,200-foot mountain in 1927; however, he died in 1941 before it could be completed. The head of Washington was completed first, followed by Jefferson and Lincoln. Roosevelt's head was unfinished when Borglum died. The memorial was finished later that year by his son, Lincoln. Borglum's original design was a sculpture of the four presidents to their waists, but time and money only provided for their heads. A similar memorial honoring Crazy Horse, the Oglala Sioux chief, is currently under development nearby.

To learn more, check out the National Park Service's Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

A service of the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office.

Last updated: January 31, 2008
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