Today is the anniversary of the dedication of Mount Rushmore on March 3, 1933.
John Gutzon Borglum was a sculptor who began work on Mount Rushmore in 1927. He chose a 6,000-foot high mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He chose Washington because he won independence and established the republic, Jefferson for writing the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln for preserving the Union, and Roosevelt for being such an energetic force. Each face was about 60 feet from chin to top of the head. The project involved 6 ½ years of sculpting (using pneumatic drills and dynamite) and 7 ½ years of getting funding to finish the project. It cost $990,000, with $800,000 coming from the federal government. Borglum was paid $170,000, but didn’t finish the job. He died in 1941 and his son finished it. By the time they were done, 450,000 tons of stone were moved.
– Frank p. 14
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