Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

September 2007

Mount Rushmore is a beautiful work of art which is sculpted out of granite. It is a true testament to the American Dream. The Sculptor Gutzon Borglum first began the creation of the National Memorial in 1927. The sculpture was unveiled 14 years later at a cost of $1 million. Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills in the state of South Dakota. It receives 3 million visitors per year from all corners of the globe.

Here are a few more interresting facts about Mount Rushmore. Did you know?
- 90% of the Memorial was carved by using dynamite
- Mount Rushmore is eroding 1 inch every 10,000 years
- Originally the figure of Thomas Jefferson was started on Washington's right. Due to fissures in the mountain, it had to be restarted on the left of Washington.
But you'll learn all these things while you visit Mount Rushmore's impressive Interpretive Centre where you can watch a movie and see numerous exhibits depicting how the Memorial was built.

You'll pass the Avenue of the Flags as you make your way from the Concession Building to the Grandview Terrace. There are 56 flags representing 50 states, one district, three territories and two commowealths of the United States. The flags are arranged in alphabetical order. From the Grandview Terrace, you will get a fantastic view of all four Presidents. Looking below is the Amphitheater where an Evening Sculpture Lighting Ceremony takes place each evening during the summer.




Mount Rushmore as seen from Grandview Terrace

The faces of the 4 Presidents from left to right:George Washington,Thomas Jefferson,Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham LincolnFrom the Grandview Terrace, you can access the Presidential Trail, a 0.5 mile trail that brings you though a forest of pine and offers great up-close views of the Presidents.

Mount Rushmore is a must see. There are lots of places to visit in the surrounding area so plan accordingly.