Mt. Rushmore

We had a nice visit to Mt. Rushmore. A lot about this location surprised me. I didn't realize how high into the mountains we would drive to get to it. Built along the road where many a tourist attraction.  I didn't expect it to be as compact in size and scale as it was. I didn't realize that there was a cute touristy town at the base of the mountain that would cater to us road-trippers like they did, or that there would be shops and cafeterias, and halls built around it once inside. I also did not know that this basically took the better part of a lifetime for the sculptor, and then his son, to start and finish!

About 400 men worked on the project during it's creation and Gutzon Borglum, the head sculptor, died near the end of the project. His son took over and within seven months of his father's death he finished Mt. Rushmore. I found it interesting that the original plans for the mountain called for more of each president  to be sculpted out. There was an entire arm and hand showing on Washington in the plans. 90% of the monument was blasted out with dynamite! Refining the carvings into the granite was the main focus of Borgulm's son.

It is really to bad that there are orange construction cones and tape everywhere in this photo, and that I am not proficient with photo shop so I can get rid of it! Oh, and all the other tourists in the background while I am at it, right?

 

The walkway up to the mountain is lined with State flags. Georgia was very excited that she knew about the Presidential Trail from a t.v. show before we left. Unfortunately, our communication was not good, and I did not realize that the Presidential Trail was a hike off to the right side of the monument that takes you as close as you can get, and includes an building with more information about the construction. We didn't do it and I wish we had. So if you go, take a few minutes to make the short hike. Bring water! 

Our neighbors told us to be sure to get ice cream at Mt. Rushmore because it is so good. I got mint chip, and I have to agree! It tasted like the best thing ever after a hot dry day of viewing the monument! We had to get a shot with Thomas Jefferson, who recorded one of the very first recipes for ice cream!

This is a great spot to check off your list, so go if you get the chance! We drove by the crazy horse monument, but we really did not have a lot of time to stop, and because it is an active site, you look at it from a spot near the parking lot. You can probably see a lot, I don't know because we didn't go in. It is huge though, so we did see a good portion of the face from a profile view point. It would probably be a good thing to make time for to add to the experience, if you can!