The likeness of Abraham Lincoln on Mount Rushmore was officially dedicated on September 17, 1937. Serving as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 to 1865, Abraham Lincoln is considered by many scholars to be the greatest president in U.S. history. He played a crucial role in the abolishment of slavery and in preserving the United States after the Civil War. Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, while attending a play at Ford’s Theatre, and died the following day. Mount Rushmore, located in South Dakota, features the faces of four prominent U.S. presidents carved into a mountainside – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and now Abraham Lincoln, making it one of the world’s largest examples of sculpture.
The George Washington head on Mount Rushmore was dedicated in 1930, followed by Jefferson in 1936, Lincoln in 1937, and Roosevelt in 1939. The sculptures were created between 1927 and 1941. The mountain itself, named after Charles E. Rushmore, a New York lawyer, was designated a national park in 1933. While Mount Rushmore attracts millions of tourists every year, some Native Americans view it as a desecration of sacred lands, as the Black Hills region was originally inhabited by the Lakota Sioux and taken over by White settlers and gold miners in the late 19th century. The memorial covers two square miles and is administered by the U.S. National Park Service.
The idea of sculpting Mount Rushmore into historic figures was conceived in the early 1920s by South Dakota’s state historian, Doane Robinson, to boost tourism to the Black Hills. After securing federal funding and seeking out a sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, the project faced financial challenges during the Great Depression, leading to delays in construction. It took 14 years to complete the monument, with only six years dedicated to actual carving. Ultimately, Mount Rushmore was built for $1 million, with the majority of the funding coming from the federal government. On October 31, 1941, Mount Rushmore National Memorial was declared a completed project. Today, more than two million people visit Mount Rushmore annually, with the highest attendance during the Fourth of July celebrations, which includes a fireworks show.
The creation of Mount Rushmore showcases the artistry and engineering skill required to carve such monumental sculptures into a granite mountainside. The memorial stands as a tribute to important figures in U.S. history and serves as a popular tourist destination. The project faced challenges during its construction, with financial constraints and work stoppages due to the Great Depression. Despite these obstacles, Mount Rushmore was completed within the specified time frame and has since become an iconic symbol of American patriotism and history. The annual Fourth of July fireworks show at Mount Rushmore attracts thousands of visitors, highlighting the ongoing popularity of this historic landmark as a symbol of national pride.
The Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission oversaw the completion of Mount Rushmore, with funding from President Calvin Coolidge’s administration in 1929. The project aimed to honor significant figures in American history through monumental sculpture, with the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite mountain. The memorial covers an area of two square miles and stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of these presidents. Despite criticisms from some Native American groups regarding the appropriation of sacred lands, Mount Rushmore remains a prominent symbol of American history and attracts millions of tourists annually. The completion of the Mount Rushmore project in 1941 marked a significant achievement in the realm of public art and national patriotism, serving as a lasting tribute to the ideals and leadership of these four presidents.
