Mount Rushmore and Brave Workers 20 Amazing Photographs of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Under Construction

The southeastern face of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota’s Black Hills National Forest is the site of four gigantic carved sculptures depicting the faces of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

Led by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, work on the project began in 1927 and was finally completed in 1941. Over that time period, some 400 workers erected the sculpture under dangerous conditions, removing a total of 450,000 tons of rock in order to create the enormous carved heads, each of which reached a height of 60 feet (18 meters). In sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s original design, the four presidents were meant to be represented from the waist up, but insufficient funding brought the carving to a halt after completion of their faces.

Known as the “Shrine of Democracy,” Mount Rushmore welcomes upwards of 2 million visitors every year, and is one of America’s most popular tourist attractions.

Why Each of the Four Presidents Was Chosen

Borglum made the decision about which presidents to include on the mountain.

Following are the main reasons according to the National Park Service why each was chosen for the sculpture:

George Washington - He was the first president and represented the foundation of American democracy.
Thomas Jefferson - With the Louisiana Purchase, he greatly expanded the nation. He was also the author of the hugely influential Declaration of Independence.
Theodore Roosevelt - He not only represented the industrial development of the nation, but was also widely known for conservation efforts.
Abraham Lincoln - As the president during the US Civil War, he represents the preservation of the nation above all costs.