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Presidents Rushmore
George Washington
President George Washington was chosen for obvious reasons. He was the father of our country and it seemed a requirement for his visage to be featured on this memorial. Washington ushered in American freedom with his tireless work for independence, prosperity, and dreams. To achieve an accurate likeness of the former President, sculptor Gutzon Borglum studied two portraits, by Rembrandt Peale and Gilbert Stewart respectively, as well as a life mask that was made by Antoine Houdon, a French artist. When sculpting began, Borglum originally made Washington's face into an oval egg shape and began to sculpt Thomas Jefferson's piece of the memorial, returning to add Washington's features. George Washington's face was formally dedicated on July 4, 1934.
Thomas Jefferson
President Thomas Jefferson was chosen to be part of the Mount Rushmore memorial due in part to his vision of expansionism in the United States. His purchase of the vast Louisiana Purchase and support of the Lewis and Clark expedition brought new lands and territory to the burgeoning United States. Borglum chose to represent Jefferson as looking to the heavens, to remember his contribution as a philosopher, dreamer, and visionary. Jefferson's likeness was sculpted using a life mask by artist John H.I. Browere as a model. After two years of sculpting it was determined that the granite where Jefferson had been placed was instable, and his face was blasted off the mountain and resculpted in a different location. Jefferson's face was officially dedicated on 1936.
Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was one of Borglum's favorite leaders. The sculptor even named his son after this famous President. Aside from this fact, Abraham Lincoln was chosen to be represented on the memorial because of his tireless efforts to preserve the Union in some of its darkest days. While Borglum could have portrayed the laughing visage that is commonly attributed to Lincoln, he chose to sculpt a solemn and determined version of the President, much like his common expressions during the Civil War. Lincoln's portion of the mountain was dedicated on the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, September 17, 1937.
Theodore Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt was the only presidential choice that drew criticism during the building of Mount Rushmore. Critics thought that his presidency had just ended and that Roosevelt hadn't yet been judged by history. But Roosevelt and Borglum had been great friends during the President's lifetime and the sculptor was determined to feature his friend on his masterpiece. Roosevelt's image was carved from memory and dedicated on July 2, 1939.
For much more information about the Presidents of Mount Rushmore and the construction of the National Memorial, check out: The American Park Network or The National Park Service.
President George Washington was chosen for obvious reasons. He was the father of our country and it seemed a requirement for his visage to be featured on this memorial. Washington ushered in American freedom with his tireless work for independence, prosperity, and dreams. To achieve an accurate likeness of the former President, sculptor Gutzon Borglum studied two portraits, by Rembrandt Peale and Gilbert Stewart respectively, as well as a life mask that was made by Antoine Houdon, a French artist. When sculpting began, Borglum originally made Washington's face into an oval egg shape and began to sculpt Thomas Jefferson's piece of the memorial, returning to add Washington's features. George Washington's face was formally dedicated on July 4, 1934.
Thomas Jefferson
President Thomas Jefferson was chosen to be part of the Mount Rushmore memorial due in part to his vision of expansionism in the United States. His purchase of the vast Louisiana Purchase and support of the Lewis and Clark expedition brought new lands and territory to the burgeoning United States. Borglum chose to represent Jefferson as looking to the heavens, to remember his contribution as a philosopher, dreamer, and visionary. Jefferson's likeness was sculpted using a life mask by artist John H.I. Browere as a model. After two years of sculpting it was determined that the granite where Jefferson had been placed was instable, and his face was blasted off the mountain and resculpted in a different location. Jefferson's face was officially dedicated on 1936.
Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was one of Borglum's favorite leaders. The sculptor even named his son after this famous President. Aside from this fact, Abraham Lincoln was chosen to be represented on the memorial because of his tireless efforts to preserve the Union in some of its darkest days. While Borglum could have portrayed the laughing visage that is commonly attributed to Lincoln, he chose to sculpt a solemn and determined version of the President, much like his common expressions during the Civil War. Lincoln's portion of the mountain was dedicated on the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, September 17, 1937.
Theodore Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt was the only presidential choice that drew criticism during the building of Mount Rushmore. Critics thought that his presidency had just ended and that Roosevelt hadn't yet been judged by history. But Roosevelt and Borglum had been great friends during the President's lifetime and the sculptor was determined to feature his friend on his masterpiece. Roosevelt's image was carved from memory and dedicated on July 2, 1939.
For much more information about the Presidents of Mount Rushmore and the construction of the National Memorial, check out: The American Park Network or The National Park Service.