All About Mount Rushmore

Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore is among the oldest — and most recognizable — U.S. monuments.

 

How It Was Made

Fast Facts

•  The memorial depicts four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. They represent the first 150 years of American history.

• Construction began Oct. 4, 1927.

• It took more than 14 years to create the monument.

• More than 400 master carvers worked on Mount Rushmore.

• It cost about $1 million to construct.

• Each face is roughly 60 feet tall. That’s the size of a six-story building.

• Originally, each president was to be depicted from head to waist. A lack of funding during the Great Depression forced sculptors to reimagine the massive sculpture.

The four Rushmore presidents weren’t chosen at random.

• George Washington represents our nation’s birth.
• Thomas Jefferson represents U.S. growth.
• Abraham Lincoln represents America’s preservation.
• Theodore Roosevelt represents our country’s development.

Hall of Records

A cave called the Hall of Records is hidden behind Mount Rushmore. It contains a vault of porcelain panels inscribed with text from the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

See Mount Rushmore in full detail here.