Rising 5,500 feet above sea level are the awesome granite faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Gutzon Borglum began work on the mountain August 10, 1927. Six and one-half years of carving was stretched out over a period of 14 years due to bad weather and lack of funds. The cost to complete was $990,000. The faces are 80 feet high and were sculpted from a model 1/12 the size. The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, said he picked George Washington because he signifies the struggle for independence and the birth of the Republic, Thomas Jefferson signifies territorial expansion of the country with the purchase of the Louisiana territory, which doubled the size of the republic, Abraham Lincoln signifies the perminate union of the states and equality of all citizens and Theodore Roosevelt represents the 20th century roll of the US in world affairs and the rights of the common man.
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