Mount Rushmore National Memorial – Rapid City (Keystone), South Dakota

Mount Rushmore near Rapid City in Keystone, South Dakota is most famous for the faces of the four presidents carved on the mountain, Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Jefferson. But the presidents aren’t all there is to see and do at Mount (Mt.) Rushmore, there is hiking, biking and motorcycle riding, and view both large and small wildlife. It is located 23 miles southwest of Rapid City.

Work on the sculpture began in 1927 by Sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Borglum remained devoted to the project until his death in Chicago following surgery on March 6, 1941, several days before his 74th birthday. After his death, the project fell to his son Lincoln who in turn put the finishing touches on his father’s vision. He died of a heart attack in 1986 at the age of 74. He is buried in San Antonio, Texas. There were 400 workers involved in the creation of Mount (Mt.) Rushmore. The project took 14 years (October 4, 1927 – October 31,1941) to complete.

The estimated erosion rate is 1 inch every 10,000 years so there isn’t a concern about the famous sculpture being destroyed by erosion.

The presidents were selected on the basis of what each symbolized. George Washington represents the struggle for independence, Thomas Jefferson the idea of government by the people. Abraham Lincoln for his ideas on equality and the permanent union of the states, and Theodore Roosevelt for the 20th century role of the United States in world affairs. The granite faces of four American presidents’ is scaled to men who would stand 465 feet tall! These 60-foot (18 m) high faces, 500 feet up, look out over a setting of pine, spruce, birch, and aspen in the clear western air.

President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the project in 1927.

The most spectacular program at Mount Rushmore is the evening lighting ceremony held in the new amphitheater, 9:00 PM sharp. A must see when you are touring the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota.

The Avenue of Flags leads from the Concession Building to the Grandview Terrace. The flags of the 56 states and territories fly below the memorial.

A $56 million redevelopment was completed in 1998 with the addition of a new parking structure, amphitheater, museum/theater complex, Visitor Orientation Center, Presidential Trail, gift shop, bookstore, and dining facilities. To complete your Rushmore experience, view the evening lighting ceremony. The National Park Service sponsors a special program Memorial Day through Labor Day. It consists of a 10-minute talk followed by a 20-minute film. The highlight of the evening is the slow exposure of light to the monument until it is fully illuminated. It’s a good idea to go early and bring a jacket. Program times are as follows: 9:00-9:30 P.M. lighting ceremony, 9:30-10:30 P.M. illumination. For these traveling in the off season, the faces are illuminated nightly.

The entire memorial covers 1,278 acres (5.17 km). It is managed by the National Park Service, a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior. The memorial attracts around 2 million people annually.[4]

The mountain known to the Lakota Sioux as Six Grandfathers was renamed after Charles E. Rushmore, a prominent New York lawyer, in 1885.

Mount Rushmore is controversial among Native Americans because the United States seized the area from the Lakota tribe after the Black Hills War in 1876–77. The Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) had previously granted the Black Hills to the Lakota in perpetuity. The Lakota consider the hills to be sacred, although historians believe the Lakota also gained control of the hills by force, displacing the Cheyenne in 1776. Members of the American Indian Movement led an occupation of the monument in 1971, naming it "Mount Crazy Horse." The Crazy Horse Memorial is being built elsewhere in the Black Hills to commemorate a famous Native American leader and as a response to Mount Rushmore. It is intended to be larger than Mount Rushmore and has the support of Lakota chiefs, though the monument is not being financed with federal funds for the most part. The Crazy Horse Memorial is another site to visit while in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Ranger Programs

The National Park Service offers a variety of interpretive programs for visitors. Various guided walks and talks, including children’s programs and Presidential Trail walks, are available. Inquire at the Information Center or Lincoln Borglum Museum for a current listing and schedule.

Amphitheater Programs

Located directly below the sculpture, the Amphitheater stages evening programs and, depending on when you visit, you could be treated to a patriotic celebration or a festive musical presentation. Be sure to ask at the Information Center or Lincoln Borglum Museum about events.

The memorial’s interpretive staff provides a 30-minute program nightly at 9 p.m. in the summer (8 p.m. in the fall). The program highlights the memorial’s construction and the four presidents carved on the mountain. The program concludes with the lighting of the sculpture. Bring a light coat or sweater because nights in the Black Hills can be cool.

Weather

Summer daytime temperatures in the Black Hills average around 80°F and higher, so bring comfortable clothing, a hat and sunscreen. Evenings cool down with greater temperature drops in the mountains. In the fall, sunny days and crisp temperatures are common, though snowstorms may occur in October. Winter temperatures range from 40°F to -20°F, and icy roads and limited visitor services require careful planning. Even in the spring, the weather is often cold and wet. It is recommended that you bring warm clothing and rain gear just in case.

Hours of Operation:

The Information Center and Lincoln Borglum Museum (please see details below) are both open every day of the year (except December 25), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter and until 10 p.m. in the summer. Spring and fall hours vary to accommodate visitors.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is open all year, 24 hours a day. State Highway 244 is kept in excellent condition year-round. A concession-operated parking facility charges an annual fee, although limited non-fee parking is also available. Concessioner dining facilities, quality gift shops and rest rooms are available all year.

Getting to Mount Rushmore

Car: The most direct route by car is via I-90: Take exit 57 to Highway 16 (Mount Rushmore Road) and continue on to the memorial entrance. From Rapid City, go southwest on Highway 16 for 23 miles. You can get free state highway maps from the South Dakota Department of Tourism by calling (605) 773-3301 or (800) 732-5682.

Air: Rapid City Regional Airport, located 10 miles southeast of Rapid City, provides direct access to the Mount Rushmore area. Flights to and from Minneapolis, Denver and Salt Lake City are available on Northwest, United and Delta Skywest.

Phone: (605) 574-2523

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