Mount Rushmore
By Brooke Butler
General Knowledge
Mount Rushmore is located in Keystone, South Dakota. It features the carving of four US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. It opened on October 31, 1941, and has ever since been a monument of the country's first 130 years.
Mount Rushmore Opening
The idea for this monument was proposed in the early 1920's in order to draw attention to the Black Hills. Several sculpture ideas were passed over before a decision to sculpt the presidents was made. Originally only George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were to be sculpted; later Jefferson and Roosevelt were added to the plan. The carving began in 1927 and was worked on every day by 400 workers. It was completed in 1941. It later opened that year and was widely popular.
Mount Rushmore Over the Years
The monument gained more popularity over the years, especially when it was featured in a movie in 1959. In 1991 it was restored in honor of its 50th birthday. Today it is known as the "Shrine of Democracy", and receives over two million visitors per year.
Activities
Today at Mount Rushmore there are many activities available to do. There are hiking trails, museums, and of course the president carvings. There are also several tours to take and every activity is free for the most part. Mount Rushmore has accommodated for everyone and there is something to do for everyone.
Climate
The average temperature for Mt. Rushmore is about 46 degrees, but can get up to about 70 in the summer and 20 in the winter. Thunderstorms are common year round, as well as snow in the winter. Tour guides suggest to dress in layers if you are to visit this park.
Fun Facts
To carve the monument, the workers used dynamite. Thomas Jefferson was blown up after 18 months and redone. To give you an idea of the carving size, each nose is about 20 feet long and each eye is 11 feet wide.
Native American Association
The Black Hills originally belonged to the Siox Indians, but our government took it from them. We then not only carved our presidents faces into them, but those faces also happened to be faces that killed Native Americans. For these reasons the Siox neither like nor appreciate the monument that is Mount Rushmore
Recources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore
http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/mount-rushmore
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/engineering/mountrushmore.html
http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/mount-rushmore-national-memorial
http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/mount-rushmore
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/engineering/mountrushmore.html
http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/mount-rushmore-national-memorial
http://www.us-parks.com/mount-rushmore-national-memorial/climate.html
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?sd5870
http://www.visitrapidcity.com/things-to-do/mount-rushmore/facts-figures#.VTlF91U4nTY
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/rushmore-sioux/