Mount Rushmore National Memorial A Shrine of Democracy Essay

Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Shrine of Democracy The carving and construction of Mount Rushmore started on October 4, 1927 when Doane Robinson called in Gutzon Borglum. When South Dakota became a new state, Robinson wanted to create a monument on Stone Mountain to attract tourists. Gutzon Borglum, with the help of his son Lincoln Borglum, immediately knew what and who they wanted to carve; he proposed George Washington and Abraham Lincoln because he wanted those presidents to be remembered and honored. He incorporated methods on how to work with dynamite and pneumatic hammers. Dynamite was used to get the desired measurements and pneumatic hammers were used to get smooth and white surfaces on the granite rocks (â€Å"History and†¦show more content†¦Mount Rushmore is opened all year round with no entrance fee. The main idea of carving out these presidents was to emphasize how the country started and to give thanks to those people who helped it grow and become the nation it is today. As people tour Mount Rushmore Memorial, they are able to walk along the presidential trial that leads them to the four presidents. Audio tours and personal tours are available for those who wish to get a greater experience and more detailed information. Apart from the tours and looking over Mount Rushmore, there are a few other activities that are offered to the public. The Sculptor’s Studio presents the public with more information about the techniques used by Gutzon and Lincoln Borglum. Displayed inside is also the model that was first used to properly size the president’s faces and a description of how the workers were able to get the work done with the little technology that was available back then. The second activity available is the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, which hosts videos about the history and creation of Mount Rushmore. For those who are just planning to visit Mount Rushmore, a new digital portal was added to the Mount Rushmore Memorial website. This new digital portal allows future visitors to see the mountain and look at some videos and pictures. By using a 3D laser-scanning program, a different view of theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Mount Rushmore2601 Words   |  11 PagesMount Rushmore In the Black Hills of South Dakota, there is a monument that is dedicated to four of the most influential figures in American history. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt are names that still to this day trigger thoughts of greatness and awe-inspiring men. All four of these men were presidents of the United States. They each had a signature style or brought a particular ideal the American forefront. George Washington was known as the father