Mount Rushmore National Monument

The four sixty feet tall faces of President Roosevelt, President Lincoln, President Jefferson, and President Washington draw over three million visitors a year to the Mount Rushmore National Monument.

It took fourteen years from October 4th 1927 to October 31 1941 to carve the four faces of the former presidents that makes the mountain famous. The mountain was named after a New York attorney who came to the area to check out legal titles on property in the area in 1884. His name was Charles Rushmore. The giant outcropping of rock on the side of Mount Rushmore was visited over the years by many U.S. presidents and that is the reason the area was picked to carve the faces of the presidents. Originally the man who carved the faces Gutzon Borglum had planned to carve not only the heads and faces of the presidents but also their bodies but this never happened mainly because the man died after the four heads which are each about 60 feet tall were carved. It is interesting to note that while it took over 14 years to carve the sculpture that there was not one fatality even though over 400 men worked on the project and much of the mountain was carved with dynamite.

In 1941 the work was finished on the monument which in time would draw millions of visitors a year to the monument and the area. Every American should visit Mount Rushmore at least once in their life as it is truly one of Americas treasures. Its best to visit in the summer because the winters in the area can be quite cold and snowy. But also in the area is the Crazyhorse Memorial where the work has been going on for over 60 years. When it is ever finished it will dwarf Rushmore in size and will be the worlds largest sculpture. It costs you $10 a adult to visit the Crazyhorse Memorial while Mount Rushmore is free though there is a charge for parking. You will find the Crazyhorse Memorial on Highway 16/385 just 17 miles from the Mount Rushmore National Monument. Be sure to see both while your in the area.

How To Get To Mount Rushmore National Monument

By car you should exit off I90 at Rapid City and follow Highway 16 south to Keystone and then Highway 244 to Mount Rushmore National Monument. If your traveling up from the south you should take Highway 385 to Highway 244 and follow that to Mount Rushmore.

The nearest airport to Mount Rushmore is in Rapid City. From there you can rent a car and drive to the monument. Keep in mind that while there is no fee to enter Mount Rushmore National Monument you will have to pay for parking because the parking area is privately owned.

Hotels, Motels Etc

The nearest places to stay in the area are in near by Keystone where you will find lodging available. Some people prefer to find lodging in Rapid City. Just be sure to ask to see the room in Keystone before you pay and make sure that everything in the room works. Some people have had problems with the heat in some motel rooms and it can get quite cold at night even in the spring or fall so be sure to check everything out thoroughly. You can find great food available in the area. Ask the locals where you can go to eat and follow their suggestions and most of the time you will find a great place to eat serving affordable tasty food.

If your going to visit Mount Rushmore during the summer months you may want to go camping. You'll find excellent camp grounds at near by Custer State Park and at the Black Hills National Forest. There is also a KOA Campground with in five miles of the Mount Rushmore National Monument.

And you just have to visit Deadwood while your at Mount Rushmore. It is only 32 miles from Mount Rushmore and you just have to experience Deadwood and the historical atmosphere while your in the area. Deadwood has many places for lodging, over 50 restaurants and night clubs and 50 old west style casinos. You'll also find gold panning, amusement parks and more in Deadwood. Buffalo Bill was shot dead here in Deadwood and you can even visit the very location where he was shot. People to this day even claim to see the ghosts of Wild Bill and Jack McCall the man who shot him. Jack McCall was tried twice for the murder of Buffalo Bill. The first time in Deadwood he was acquitted but later he was tried in Yankton and sentenced to death. McCall was hung and buried on March 1 1877. His grave had to be moved in 1881 and when he was dug up the hangman's noose was still around his neck. He was reburied with it. Every evening in summer there in Deadwood the killing of Wild Bill and the capture of Jack McCall is reenacted.

You can have a wonderful family vacation if you visit Mount Rushmore and Deadwood. Every American should visit the Mount Rushmore National Monument at least once in their lives and it will be an experience that your children will remember for a life time.

Visiting Deadwood just puts the icing on the cake and makes it the perfect vacation. Be sure that while your in the area that you visit the Blackhills National Forest and Custer State Park. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the world is in this area. Be sure to take your digital camera and plenty of memory cards along. You will find yourself over whelmed with beautiful pictures to take.

The first time I stood below Mount Rushmore and looked up I was just astounded. I must have stood there for thirty minutes or more just looking up and studying the sixty foot high faces of the four presidents. It just makes you go Wow!. And Deadwood is a place where you can always find something to do. If your looking for a great place to eat that I guarantee your going to enjoy try out Jake's Fine Dinning, located at 677 Main Street in Deadwood. The atmosphere there is wonderful and you'll be treated to a wonderful delicious meal.

And be sure to take Kevin Costner's Original Deadwood Tour while your in Deadwood. The tour is one of the best values in Deadwood and you'll be taken to all the important historical sites and told all about what your seeing. I highly recommend this tour for any family. One of the best parts of the tour is the visit to the Boothill Cemetery. If your into the history of the old west you'll love this tour.

Did You Know That HBO's Sheriff Seth Bullock of Deadwood Was A Real Person.

I really love ghosts and the paranormal so one of the other places I strongly suggest you visit is the Bullock Hotel in Deadwood. Yes it was built by the same Bullock made famous on HBO's famous TV series Deadwood. Yes he really did live and he was really the sheriff in Deadwood at one time. It is said that after his death former sheriff Seth Bullock couldn't stay away from his beloved hotel and its said he visits here still. And the Bullock Hotel offers a ghost tour that is very interesting. So be sure to check it out. You can also stay the night at the Bullock Hotel and get a wonderful meal there.

I hope you have enjoyed my Hub Page on Mount Rushmore National Monument and I hope you get to visit it soon. Be sure to visit Deadwood while your in the area. I hope you'll post a comment below and I appreciate you taking your time to read my Hub Page. Thank You.