D-MT.RUSHMORE+NATIONAL+MEMORIAL

= = = = =Park Profile:media type="custom" key="5414951" align="right" width="90" height="110"=


 * Location:** Keystone, South Dakota


 * Size:** 1,278.45 acres


 * Climate:** Arid


 * Region of the US:** Mid-West


 * Visitors per year**: 2-3 million


 * Most popular site:** The Mount Rushmore Memorial

= = =History:=

Mount Rushmore was declared a national memorial on March 3, 1925. There were many key people in the building of the memorial. Doane Robinson was the man who came up with the idea for the memorial. He also helped to secure funding for the project after it had started. Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor of the memorial, and along with 400 workers he was able to complete the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Congressman William Williamson, John Boland, and Senator Peter Norbeck are also important figures who mainly helped to provide and secure funds for Mount Rushmore.

The biggest set back for Mount Rushmore was getting permission to do the carving by theState of South Dakota. The Mount Harney National Memorial bill was defeated twice, but the third time was the charm because on March 5, 1925 Governor Gunderson signed the bill. Funds for the monument were always a constant worry and concern for Mount Rushmore’s construction.

The Mount Rushmore national memorial was established when the Mount Harney National was signed by Governor Gunderson on March 5, 1925. Mount Rushmore became a national memorial because of its size and the presidents it was honoring. The faces of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were all sculpted into the memorial. Mount Rushmore is not a natural site because it was been shaped by humans. In addition, the national memorial attracts 2 to 3 million people a year causing structures such parking lots, theaters, and [|restaurants] to be built.

= = =Environmental Issues:=

On a clear day at Mount Rushmore, you can see over 40 miles and the air smells fresh and clean. However, humans can produce dust, pollution, light, and noise that can come to Mount Rushmore from distant places on the wind or with the weather. These products of man can severely cripple the air quality and visibility of Mount Rushmore not to mention effect the wildlife. It is important to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial to keep these factors away so they do not damage its good pristine state.

In addition, a pine beetle infestation is causing concern around Mount Rushmore. The [|pine beetle] feeds off timber from the local [|forests], and due to recent droughts have been able to reproduce rapidly. Due to the droughts and increase number of pine beetles there are many dried up tress in the forests creating the potential for devastating [|forest fires]. There has been a team assembled to battle this problem in the summer of 2010. It is believed the team will prevent new pine beetles from being born, lessening the current population, and restoring dead trees.

= = =Why you should come:=
 * [|Guided tours]
 * Become a junior ranger
 * Walk the Presidental Trail
 * Field trips
 * The wildlife
 * The beautiful scenery
 * The Mount Rushmore National Memorial
 * Near the Wind Cave National Park and [|Jewel Cave National Monument]
 * The Badlands National Park and Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is 1.5 hours away
 * The Devil’s Tower National Monument is 2.5 hours away

media type="custom" key="5419723" align="right" Here is a video of the fireworks at Mount Rushmore on July 4th. The fireworks are one of the many attractions at Mount Rushmore.

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Here are two good videos giving a basic overview of Mount Rushmore. In the first video, Robert takes you to the most American of landmarks, Mount Rushmore, located near Keystone, South Dakota. In the second video, Jon Olson, a Black Hills native, gives a behind the scene tour of Mount Rushmore.

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media type="custom" key="5432425" align="right" A video of Supt. Gerard Baker telling the traditional stories of the carving of the mountain and of the four presidents memorialized there, but also the stories and cultures of all Americans, including American Indians.

media type="custom" key="5432427" align="right" Here are two videos dealing with Mount Rushmore and our current president, Barack Obama. The first video is of Barack Obama visiting Mount Rushmore and his thoughts on if he would like this face up there someday. The second video is of Greenpeace climbers that scale Mount Rushmore to hang a banner for Barack Obama that says “America Honors Leaders, Not Politicians, Stop Global Warming".

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media type="custom" key="5432443" align="right" These videos are of a tour given at Mount Rushmore. In the first video, the tour guide talks about the presidential history of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. In the second video, the tour guide discusses the presidential history of Roosevelt.

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= = =Works Cited=

// Abe on Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Travel Pod//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. .

// Abe with Snow //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. .

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. // Black and White of Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //The Weekly South Dakotan//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

. // Buffalo //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. . // Close up of Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

. // Fireworks at Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

. // Fireworks at Mt. Rushmore //. //Youtube//. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. . // Fireworks over Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

. // Flag with Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

. // A Goat //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. . // Goats at Rushmore //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. . // Grand View Terrace //. Photograph. //Ski Epic//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. . // Greenpeace's Mount Rushmore Challenge to Barack Obama to Stop Global Warming //. //Youtube//. CNN. Web. 21

Feb. 2010. . // Jefferson on Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Online Atlas//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

. // Making a Face //. Photograph. //Electrical Resource//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/06/mount-who-how-did-famous-park-get-its-name>. // The Making of Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //The Weekly South Dakotan//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.sd4history.com/unit5/rushmore.htm>. // Mount Rushmore at Night //. Photograph. //Telegraph//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/5324943/Huge-stone-faces-monumental-

sculptures-carved-into-mountains.html?image=1>. // Mount Rushmore from the Highway //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-

Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Mount Rushmore from the Trees //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-d143767-w22-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-

Keystone_South_Dakota.html>.

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America//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm>. // Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Prez Kennedy//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://prezkennedy.org/modules/myalbum/photos/318.jpg>. // Mount Rushmore: Telling America's Stories //. //Youtube//. PBS. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=eFlbWT0Ynmg>. // Mount Rushmore //. //Trip Films//. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Video-v69124-Keystone-

Mount_Rushmore-Video.html>. // Mt. Rushmore - A Guides Tail Part 1 //. //Youtube//. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=BQcjWrWzouE>. // Mt. Rushmore - A Guides Tail Part 2 //. //Youtube//. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Nk5vyDmtzDo>. // Mt. Rushmore Comes Alive //. Photograph. //Scan Digital//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.scandigital.com/blog/photo-

scanning-services/picture-scanning-old-photos-is-great-for-sharing-mt-rushmore?s-history/>. // Mt Rushmore.net //. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.mtrushmore.net/>.

"National Park Service: The First 75 Years (Section 6)." //U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America//.

Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/sontag/sontag6.htm>. // Outside Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Julian Attock//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.julianattock.com/yellowstone.htm>. // Over Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Januted//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/6/2/142854/8473/travel/Google+Earth+Views:++Hovering+Over+Mount+

Rushmore>. // Rushmore at Night from the Front //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-

Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Rushmore at Night //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-

g60908-d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Rushmore from a Distant //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-

g60908-d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Rushmore //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-

d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Side of Washington //. Photograph. //Ski Epic//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.ski-

epic.com/2006_canada_motorcycle_trip/index_07_31_thru_08_02.html>. // The Sign //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-

d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Tour of Mount Rushmore National Memorial //. //Travelistic//. Web. 21 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.travelistic.com/video/show/12661>. // A tourist //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-

d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Tourists //. Photograph. //Trip Advisor//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010. <http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g60908-

d143767-w5-Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial-Keystone_South_Dakota.html#20089448>. // Washington in Mount Rushmore //. Photograph. //Solar Navigator//. Web. 20 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/george_washington.htm>.