- Mount Rushmore was conceived in 1923 by Doane Robinson as a way to promote tourism to South Dakota. The designs were created by American sculptor Gutzon Borglum, whose previous works included the designs for Stone Mountain outside of Atlanta and several public monuments. The scene was to depict the first 150 years of American history and originally included a backdrop with the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
- Four hundred men worked to create the 60-foot sculptures on Mount Rushmore from 1927 to 1941. One fact that is surprising for a project of this magnitude is that not one person was killed during the construction.
- Mount Rushmore is part of a 1,278-acre park that is administered by the National Park Service and is South Dakota's most popular tourist attraction. In addition to the monument, the site includes the 125-seat Lincoln Borglum theater, which shows a 13-minute film about the construction of Mount Rushmore. The Borglum studio is also open to the public and there is an amphitheater that hosts various concerts and other performances during the warmer months. Admission to Mount Rushmore is free. There is, however, a fee to park.
- The monument stands 5,725 feet above sea level. The site is named for Charles E. Rushmore, a New York lawyer who led an expedition to the area in 1885. Mount Rushmore cost just under $1 million to construct. Originally, the figures were to be depicted from the waist up, but cost considerations caused the carving to be limited to faces. The monument's designer, Gutzon Borglum, died before construction was completed; the work was overseen by his son, Lincoln.
- Mount Rushmore has been used in numerous films, books and television shows. The most famous of these is Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 movie, "North by Northwest," which includes a chase scene across the face of the monument. The films "Star Trek V" and "Superman II" also used Mount Rushmore.
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