Rushmore / Crazy Horse

We were very pleased with the campsite at Horse Thief Lake, just a few miles from Mt. Rushmore. Here are some pics…

The long walkway to the Mt Rushmore viewing site is lined with flags from each state in order of their admittance to the union. Territory flags are there too.

We walked the loop that goes beneath the presidents, and stopped to listen to a park ranger give a 15 minute talk on it’s history. Borglun the sculptor was a bit of an eccentric. He had grandiose plans which included a “hall of records” behind the busts which would hold the original founding documents, the constitution, the declaration of independence, etc. His plan was rejected but he had a 50 foot tunnel entrance to the hall blasted anyway before he was forced to give up on the idea. Mt. Rushmore is not finished, but will never be taken any farther. Borglun died in 1941, 14 years after starting the project. WWII came along and that was that.

A sculptor who assisted Borglun during the last 2 or 3 years was hired by a confederation of Indian tribes led by Black Elk to create a giant work that would exceed the scope of Mt. Rushmore. The idea for the Crazy Horse monument came out of that.

Started in the late 1940’s it was thought it might take a 100 years to finish. After 75 years it’s not even close. You can see Crazy Horse face, the top of his pointing arm and his finger. When I was there 14 years ago it looked the same except the finger wasn’t there. Here is a model of what it will look like when finished…

The model is just above Anne Kash, the real thing is in the distance. It’s to be the center piece of a complex that will honor the American Indian. There is a museum, a gift shop, cafe, etc. More to come with the sculpture to be the centerpiece.

We stayed at this campground

The tent beside our van is ours. Just a room to lounge in, new for this trip. Tuesday, the 20th, we hiked into the Black Elk wilderness, went fishing in Horse Thief Lake, the kids rode bikes and played cards with Nana. On to Devil’s Tower tomorrow.

Three life birds while in the Rushmore area, Plumbeous Vireo at Horse Thief, Rock Wren in the rubble beneath Mt Rushmore and a Black Headed Grosbeak on the hike in Black Elk.