Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Mount Rushmore may pay patriotic tribute to arguably the "best presidents of all time," but the tale of its construction isn't rife with sugar, spice, and everything nice. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It goes down in history as one of those things that "requires great sacrifice" to accomplish, even if that sacrifice is at the expense of others. So sit down and strap in as we take you on a ride through memory lane and the controversial construction of the national monument, Mount Rushmore.
When Doane Robinson first thought up his idea to create a mountain sculpture that would transcend time, he did it to bring more tourism to his state alone. That was the main goal, at least. As the "Father of Mount Rushmore" pushed ahead with his project, it developed into something much more symbolic of not only his hometown state but of the whole country. In other words, he saw an opportunity to make a mark on the country for good and for future generations to come. While Doane was a fantastic project lead, he didn't have the artistic capability to accomplish his goal. That's when he reached out to artist and sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who, at the time, was working on another monumental project at Stone Mountain, Georgia. The amazing work he was accomplishing there gave him the idea of Mt. Rushmore. After they communed, Gutzon was well on board to be part of the project. Despite the increase in attention the project was getting, neither of the men knew how big the iconic monument would be for the country.
#DownTheRabbithole #MountRushmore #Monuments
Mount Rushmore may pay patriotic tribute to arguably the "best presidents of all time," but the tale of its construction isn't rife with sugar, spice, and everything nice. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It goes down in history as one of those things that "requires great sacrifice" to accomplish, even if that sacrifice is at the expense of others. So sit down and strap in as we take you on a ride through memory lane and the controversial construction of the national monument, Mount Rushmore.
When Doane Robinson first thought up his idea to create a mountain sculpture that would transcend time, he did it to bring more tourism to his state alone. That was the main goal, at least. As the "Father of Mount Rushmore" pushed ahead with his project, it developed into something much more symbolic of not only his hometown state but of the whole country. In other words, he saw an opportunity to make a mark on the country for good and for future generations to come. While Doane was a fantastic project lead, he didn't have the artistic capability to accomplish his goal. That's when he reached out to artist and sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who, at the time, was working on another monumental project at Stone Mountain, Georgia. The amazing work he was accomplishing there gave him the idea of Mt. Rushmore. After they communed, Gutzon was well on board to be part of the project. Despite the increase in attention the project was getting, neither of the men knew how big the iconic monument would be for the country.
#DownTheRabbithole #MountRushmore #Monuments
