On September 17, 1937, the likeness of Abraham Lincoln on Mount Rushmore was officially dedicated. Lincoln served as the 16th President of the United States from 1861 to 1865 and is considered by many scholars to be the greatest president in American history. He played a crucial role in the abolishment of slavery and preserving the United States after the Civil War. Lincoln’s face on Mount Rushmore pays patriotic tribute to his legacy alongside three other presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.
The faces of the American presidents carved into Mount Rushmore represent one of the world’s largest examples of sculpture. These 60-foot-tall faces were created between 1927 and 1941, with George Washington being the first to be formally dedicated in 1930, followed by Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. Mount Rushmore is a popular tourist attraction and covers two square miles of land. While the monument attracts millions of visitors each year, some Native Americans view it as a desecration of sacred lands, as the Black Hills region was originally inhabited by the Lakota Sioux.
The idea for Mount Rushmore originated in the early 1920s as a means to attract tourism to the Black Hills. South Dakota’s state historian, Doane Robinson, envisioned sculpting giant natural granite pillars into the shape of historic Western heroes. President Calvin Coolidge signed legislation in 1929 to provide federal funds for the project, which was later overseen by the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission. The project faced financial struggles and work stoppages during the Great Depression but ultimately was completed in 1941 with 85% of the funding coming from the federal government.
Mount Rushmore’s creation took 14 years, with the majority of the time spent on raising funds and political support. President Coolidge’s initiative and the work of American sculptor Gutzon Borglum, who was working on other monumental projects at the time, were crucial to the memorial’s completion. More than two million people visit Mount Rushmore annually, with the Fourth of July being the most popular time to see the annual fireworks show. While the monument stands as a symbol of American pride and patriotism, it also reflects the displacement of Native Americans from their sacred lands in the Black Hills.
As one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States, Mount Rushmore continues to attract visitors from around the world. The memorial’s dedication to four influential presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, serves as a reminder of their enduring contributions to American history. Despite controversy surrounding its construction on lands considered sacred by Native Americans, Mount Rushmore stands as a testament to the perseverance and dedication of those who brought this monumental project to fruition. The legacy of Abraham Lincoln and other great leaders is forever immortalized in the granite faces of Mount Rushmore, inspiring millions of visitors each year.
