Mount Rushmore is a colossal sculpture in South Dakota featuring the carved heads of four U.S. Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. The carving took 14 years to complete! It honors the first 150 years of American history and is a must-see American landmark.

Imagine a mountain so huge that four U.S. Presidents have their faces carved right into the solid rock! That’s Mount Rushmore, one of the most amazing sculptures in the whole world!

This gigantic monument is tucked away in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. It shows the heads of four very important U.S. Presidents, each one picked to represent a big part of American history. The entire carving project took 14 years to build, starting in 1927 and finishing in 1941! It was meant to be a tribute to the first 150 years of the United States.

Mira

Mira says:

"Wow, Finn! These heads are sixty feet tall! That’s taller than a five-story building! I wonder how they even managed to carve something so enormous without letting anyone fall!"

What are the Four Presidents on Mount Rushmore?

The sculptor, a man named Gutzon Borglum, chose these four leaders because they each symbolize a major stage in America’s story. From left to right on the mountain, you see:

George Washington (The First President), Thomas Jefferson (The Third President), Theodore Roosevelt (The 26th President), and Abraham Lincoln (The 16th President).

The four presidents are carved in granite on the mountain’s southeast side. Borglum wanted to honor the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with these colossal statues.

Mind-Blowing Fact!

The mountain wasn't always called Mount Rushmore! Before the famous lawyer Charles E. Rushmore visited in the 1880s, the Lakota Tribe called it Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe, or 'The Six Grandfathers'!

How Big is Mount Rushmore?

These aren't just big statues; they are truly colossal! Each president’s face is 60 feet high (about 18 meters tall). That means their eyes alone are about 11 feet wide! If you could climb up there, their noses would be about as long as a school bus! If they had their full bodies carved, they would have been even taller, but they ran out of time and money before they could carve past their waists!

60 ft Height
of each President's face
14 Years Construction Time
Started 1927, finished 1941
450,000 Tons Rock Removed
Most of it by dynamite!
0 Fatalities
Workers survived the dangerous work

How Did They Carve Such a Giant Mountain?

Carving solid granite is tough work! It took a team of over 400 men to complete the work, and they faced really extreme weather conditions. Can you believe that not a single worker died during the entire 14 years of construction? That is amazing for such dangerous work!

The Secret Tool: Dynamite!

To start, they didn't use tiny chisels. About 90% of the rock that needed to be removed was blasted away using dynamite! A special expert helped mark exactly where to drill the holes for the explosives. The workers would set off the dynamite when they were safely off the mountain.

The Finishing Touches

After the big blasting, the workers used smaller tools like jackhammers and chisels to carve the details, like the eyes, noses, and mouths. They were lowered down the 500-foot granite face using special chairs attached to steel cables!

💡 Did You Know?

Gutzon Borglum passed away in March 1941, just months before the project was finished! His son, Lincoln Borglum, took over and made sure the last bits were completed later that same year.

🎯 Quick Quiz!

Which President on Mount Rushmore represents the **expansion** of the United States?

A) George Washington
B) Abraham Lincoln
C) Thomas Jefferson
D) Theodore Roosevelt

Why Did They Choose Those Four Presidents?

Each president represents a different, huge accomplishment in U.S. history. Here’s a quick look at the 'why' for kids learning about American History:

George Washington: He led the colonists to win independence in the Revolutionary War. He symbolizes the Birth of the nation.

  • Thomas Jefferson: As the main author of the Declaration of Independence and by purchasing the Louisiana Territory, he represents the Expansion of the country.
  • Theodore Roosevelt: He provided strong leadership as America grew into a world power in the early 1900s, including work on the Panama Canal. He symbolizes Development.
  • Abraham Lincoln: He kept the country together during the terrible Civil War and ended slavery. He symbolizes the Preservation of the Union.

Gutzon Borglum actually called Mount Rushmore the Shrine of Democracy! However, it’s also important to know that the land where Mount Rushmore stands was promised to the Lakota Sioux Nation in a treaty, making the monument a sensitive topic for many Native American people today.

Questions Kids Ask About American History

How tall is each face on Mount Rushmore?
Each carved face of the Presidents on Mount Rushmore is 60 feet tall! That is about the height of a five-story building, making them truly massive sculptures in the rock.
When was Mount Rushmore finished?
The carving of Mount Rushmore started in 1927 and was finally completed in October 1941. The project took 14 years, even though not all of the original plans could be finished.
Which presidents are on Mount Rushmore?
The four U.S. Presidents carved into the granite are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. They were chosen to symbolize the birth, expansion, development, and preservation of the United States.
Who designed the Mount Rushmore sculpture?
The main sculptor was Gutzon Borglum. After he passed away in 1941, his son, Lincoln Borglum, took over and finished the final details of the massive project.

Keep Exploring History!

Now you know the awesome story behind the giant faces in South Dakota! Mount Rushmore is a powerful symbol of American history, showing us the incredible scale of what people can create. Keep listening to History's Not Boring to discover more amazing stories for kids!