The Four Presidents on Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota's Black Hills features 60-foot sculptures of four U.S. presidents selected by sculptor Gutzon Borglum to represent the nation's first 150 years:

• George Washington (1732-1799): First president, Revolutionary War commander, "Father of His Country"—representing the nation's birth
• Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826): Declaration of Independence author, Louisiana Purchase architect—representing expansion
• Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919): Progressive reformer, conservationist, Panama Canal builder—representing development
• Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865): Civil War leader, Emancipation Proclamation, Union preserver—representing preservation

Project Details

Carved 1927-1941 by 400 workers using dynamite and pneumatic tools. No fatalities occurred. Original design included torsos; funding ended at heads. The site attracts ~2.5 million visitors annually.

Borglum chose these four to embody the republic's founding, growth, development, and unity—though modern perspectives increasingly acknowledge the complex legacies of each, particularly regarding Indigenous peoples and slavery.