May 11, 2012 - Mt. Rushmore
While awaiting the removal of her stitches, Terry and I decided to visit one of America's most recognizable Monuments - Mt. Rushmore. Located just south of Rapid City, SD, Mt Rushmore was carved into the Black Hills as a memorial to four of our country's great presidents.
Granite Sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota
The concept to create Mt. Rushmore was the idea of one man and the workings of another. In 1923, the idea emerged from the fertile mind of Doane Robinson, the state historian. Robinson got ardent support from then governor Peter Norbeck. The idea was to commission Gutzon Borglum, a famous rock sculptor, to carve a series of famous figures - the likes of Lewis and Clark, Buffalo Bill Cody, John C. Fremont, Red Cloud - into the granite mountains in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This Monument would bring "throngs of visitors to the area" and thus stimulate a stagnant South Dakotan economy.
The original sites considered for carving the Monument included granite upcroppings in the Harney Mountain Range near Sylvan Lake, Mt. Baldy, Mt. Sugar Loaf and the Needles. But Gutzon found none of these sites favorable for the task at hand. Then, he was presented a southeastern facing granite monolith that went by the name of Mt. Rushmore. The granite was suitable for carving. The exposure to daytime sunshine ideal. If Gutzon was to sculpt, Rushmore would be the site of the carvings.
The Father of our Country
Borglum never warmed to the idea of carving famous western heroes into the mountain. He felt this creation should express a more significant cast of American characters. Borglum felt the Monument should pay tribute to those who helped shape the Nation, to those who represented American ideals. Hence, George Washington, the "Father of our Country" was the uncontested first choice.
The Preservationist
Borglum's second choice was that of Abraham Lincoln. He had carved a marble bust of Lincoln many years earlier and always admired Lincoln for saving the country during the Civil War. Many believe that Lincoln's face is the most skillfully carved of the four. Lincoln Borglum, Gutzon's son, suggests that this is due to his father's deep admiration for president Lincoln and what he had done for the country.
The Expansionist
Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and second president of the United States was Borglum's third choice. Jefferson's Expansionist title came from his deal making with the French. The land acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase made possible the westward expansion of the young country.
The Developer
The original concept for Mt. Rushmore only included Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. But the size of the mountain would allow for one additional carving. Roosevelt's name had been tossed into the hat by admirers and the media. Many said that Roosevelt's pushing through the completion of the Panama Canal had led to the industrial development of the country. It also did not hurt Teddy's chances that he and Borglum were buddies. However, the deciding factor was Calvin Coolidge's reasoning that Roosevelt was the first president who actively worked to protect the rights of the working man.
For my money, Roosevelt deserves his place on the rock due to his Conservation efforts. During his two terms as president, the foundation of National Park system became a reality. Without Teedie's doings, Terry and I may not have had the opportunity to trek thru the marvelous collection of Parks that have been preserved "For the benefit and enjoyment of the People".
May 11th - Proud to be an American
Visiting Mt. Rushmore, experiencing the grandeur of these remarkable carvings and refreshing our understanding of the good deeds administered by these four presidents made us very proud to be Americans!
Interestingly, the carvings were never completed as designed. Construction began on Washington's face on August 10, 1927. The Rushmore version of Washington was unveiled on July 4th, 1934. Originally, Jefferson's face was to be carved on the left side of Washington but Borglum found the the rock unsatisfactory. Borglum had Jefferson's face blasted off the mountain and repositioned it to the right of Washington. Jefferson's face was dedicated in 1936. Lincoln was unveiled on Sept 17, 1937. Roosevelt's face was dedicated in July of 1939. At this time, the carvings were about 50% completed. The original design was to sculpt the Presidents from head to waist. If you look closely, you can see the beginnings of Lincoln's hand holding on to the lapel of his jacket...both of which were never completed.
Gutzon Borglum died suddenly on March 6, 1941. Eight months after his death, with all four heads completed, came the halting of the carvings on Rushmore. Borglum's son Lincoln did not want anyone else to complete the work his father had created.
Crazy Horse Memorial
May 12th - not so proud!
The day after visiting Mt. Rushmore, Terry and I ventured to the Crazy Horse Memorial which is situated about 17 miles southwest of Mt. Rushmore. What a contrast between Rushmore and this mammoth and controversial granite sculpture! Whereas Rushmore evoked a feeling of patriotic pride...visiting Crazy Horse and learning of its symbolism made us feel a bit crappy regarding the treatment given the indigenous peoples of this country by the "white man".
"The whole concept and purpose of Crazy Horse Memorial is Education."
In 1939, while Mt. Rushmore was being sculpted, a Lakota Chief by the name of Henry Standing Bull asked another granite sculptor - Korczak Ziolkowski - to carve an Indian memorial in the Black Hills. Standing Bull wrote Korczak saying, "My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes, too."
Korczak, a successful sculptor in his own right, had worked briefly on Mt. Rushmore with Gutzon Borglum and was familiar with the area. However, he joined the Army during WWII and did not fully engage in tackling the monumental task of carving Crazy Horse until several years after Standing Bull's proposal.
When Korczak finally begin work on Crazy Horse, he determined it would be a humanitarian project that would tell the story of the North American Indian. When completed, Crazy Horse will stand 563 feet tall and 641 feet long. To put that into perspective, all four of Mt. Rushmore's presidential faces would fit on Crazy Horse's head.
Korczak officially began work on Crazy Horse with a dedication blast conducted on June 3, 1947. The work was slow and tedious and Korczak refused to accept any government financial aide insisting that the Monument be completely funded by visitors and the private sector. He reasoned the US Government had broken too many Treaties with the Native Americans to be considered a contributor for the Monument dedicated to those whom the Gov't had rounded up and placed on Reservations.
Korczak, knowing he would not live to see the completion of the project, established the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation in 1949. The three major goals of the Foundation: Finish the colossal mountain carving; create the Indian Museum of North America; and develop a University and Medical Training Center for North American Indians. The first goal is under construction and will take decades to complete. The Museum and University are currently in operation and under ongoing expansion.
Korczak died suddenly on October 20, 1982. At the time of his death, he had worked on the sculpture for 40 years. Finishing the horse's head was Korczak's priority; however, at the time of his death, the mountain had still lacked anything resembling the finished product.
In 1987, Korczak's wife Ruth and the Director's of the Foundation decided to shift emphasis from the Horses' head to that of Crazy Horse himself. On June 3rd, 1998, Crazy Horse's head was unveiled and public interest in the project intensified.
You and I will not live to see the completion of the mountain carving. However, my hat is tipped to the Ziolkowski family and the Foundation as they continue to pursue the dreams of Korczak and those of the Lakota Tribe. The project continues to thrive without a nickel's worth of aide from the government that suppressed those for which it is dedicated. Pictures do not do justice to this piece of art. Go see for yourself what the world's largest sculpture looks like...and pitch in to help make Korczak's dream come true.
No comments:
Post a Comment