Mount Rushmore: Faces of Our History

More than just a random display of U.S. Presidents, this imposing monument honors the leaders of America’s founding, expansion, preservation, and unification. Discover how these faces ended up on a mountainside in South Dakota’s Black Hills. 

In 1923, Doane Robinson, South Dakota’s state historian, sought to attract tourists to his state by creating an extraordinary landmark. After sharing his vision with others, the group began searching for a sculptor capable of bringing this ambitious project to life. 

They found John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, who was then sculpting Civil War heroes at Stone Mountain, Georgia. When Borglum became frustrated and abandoned the Georgia project, he traveled to South Dakota to explore this new opportunity. However, Borglum rejected the original plan to carve Western frontier heroes, instead proposing to honor “people who were heroes for the whole nation.” He believed United States presidents would create a more meaningful and nationally significant monument. Before construction could begin, Borglum and his supporters faced the daunting task of securing funding for this massive undertaking. 

Borglum dedicated himself to the project from 1925 until 1937, when declining health forced him to transfer leadership to his son, Lincoln Borglum. The monument was finally completed in 1941, and today approximately 393,000 visitors travel to Mount Rushmore annually. 

Readers interested in the construction of Mount Rushmore will appreciate the book’s detailed illustrations and vivid descriptions of the workers carving the monument. The text serves as an excellent resource for anyone researching this iconic landmark. While much of the book examines the preliminary steps—including the project’s origins and fundraising efforts—pages 16 through 25 focus specifically on the carving process. These sections feature awe-inspiring historical photographs that capture the monument’s impressive scale and the remarkable skill required for its creation. 

The book’s design effectively supports its content through thoughtful graphic elements that break the text into digestible sections. Large red titles announce each new chapter, while red-shaded fact boxes provide additional context, such as the mountain’s namesake. Black and white historical photographs showcase the key figures who made Mount Rushmore possible, but the most compelling images depict workers suspended by ropes as they carved into the mountainside—a testament to both their courage and craftsmanship. 

Mount Rushmore chronicles the creation of an enduring monument while explaining why four presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—deserve recognition for generations to come. As Borglum stated, “The purpose of the monument is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States.” The book concludes with a one-page glossary, three recommended books for further reading, and one suggested website, providing readers with resources for deeper exploration of this remarkable achievement in American sculpture and history. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• None 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• A quote on Mount Rushmore reads: “A monument’s dimensions should be determined by the importance to civilization of the events commemorated. . . Let us place there, carved high, as close to heaven as we can, the words of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were. Then breathe a prayer that these records will endure until the wind and the rain alone shall wear them away.”