The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a monument located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, featuring sculptures of the faces of former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
History and Construction
The idea for the monument was suggested by Jonah “Doane” Robinson, secretary of the South Dakota State Historical Society, in 1923. The monument was dedicated as a national monument on October 1, 1925, and work began on October 4, 1927. The sculpture was designed by Gutzon Borglum and took 14 years to complete, with a total cost of $989,992.32.
The monument is carved in Harney Peak granite and each head is about 60 feet tall. The sculpture’s rate of erosion is estimated at one inch per 10,000 years. It stands 5,725 feet above sea level.
Visitor Information
In 2025, 1,905,649 people visited the monument. The monument is a popular tourist destination and a symbol of American history and democracy.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
