Mount Rushmore

Horsethief Lake

We stopped at this lake as we were heading to visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Horsethief Lake

Road to Mount Rushmore

We waited in line to enter the Memorial. There is no entrance fee for Mount Rushmore National Memorial. However, fees are required to park at the memorial. The cost for seniors is $5.00 per car.

This is the entrance to the Memorial

The Avenue of Flags.

The Avenue of Flags was initially established as part of the celebration of America’s Bicentennial at the request of a visitor. The 56 flags represent the 50 states, one district, three territories, and two commonwealths of the United States of America.

Tennessee's marker at The Avenue of Flags

The observation deck between the Memorial and the Avenue of Flags

Mount Rushmore Amphitheatre

The evening program and lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial is offered seasonally from mid-May through September. You can see the illuminated faces, listen to a speech presentation by a park ranger and watch a video all about Mount Rushmore!

Part of the Trail that leads to the bottom of the Memorial

View from the base of the Memorial

Lincoln Borglum Museum

This is what the monument was supposed to look like when completed. Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor from the start of the project. Gutzon spent much of the last two years of the project traveling and working to secure additional funding. While he was away his son, Lincoln Borglum, supervised the work on Mount Rushmore. In March, 1941, as a final dedication was being planned, Gutzon Borglum died in Chicago. This fact, along with the impending American involvement in World War II, led to the end of the work on the mountain. On October 31, 1941, Mount Rushmore National Memorial was declared a completed project.

This was taken from a viewing area just before the entrance gates.

We almost go lost!!

What can I say, she just can't help herself!!!

Crazy Horse Memorial

We also stopped by the Crazy Horse Memorial on our way back from Mount Rushmore.

Crazy Horse is still under construction

The mission of Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians.

Korczak Ziolkowski, a noted New England sculptor, came at the invitation of Chief Henry Standing Bear to head the Crazy Horse project. The project officially got started in 1947.
Korczak Ziolkowski married Ruth Ross Thanksgiving day, 1950
Korczak and Ruth had 10 children, five girls and five boys.
Four of the 10 children and many of the 23 grandchildren still work on the project. Crazy Horse Memorial is the world’s largest Mountain Carving in progress.

The model in the lower left is what the Crazy Horse Memorial will look like when it is completed.