The Dark and Surprising History of Mount Rushmore

About this episode

This episode explores the complex and fascinating history behind Mount Rushmore, including its conception and the people involved in its creation.

Mount Rushmore is one of the most famous monuments in the United States. Nearly everyone can recognize the towering faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the granite of the Black Hills of South Dakota. But the real story behind Mount Rushmore is far more complicated—and far more fascinating—than most people realize. In this episode of Parkography, we explore the surprising history behind America’s most recognizable monument. From the unlikely idea of South Dakota historian Doane Robinson, to the larger-than-life and controversial sculptor Gutzon Borglum, to the hundreds of workers who risked their lives carving the mountain with dynamite and hand tools during the Great Depression.

Topics covered

• Mount Rushmore
• history
• sculpture
• Great Depression
• American monuments

Keywords

• Mount Rushmore
• Gutzon Borglum
• Doane Robinson
• Black Hills
• American history
• sculpting
• Great Depression

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Black Hills of South Dakota, United States

More episodes of Parkography

• New River Gorge National Park and the Legend of John Henry · June 4, 2026 · 9 min
• News: Parks Busy With Timed Entry Gone, Hunting Expanded in National Parks, New Lincoln Memorial Tour · May 28, 2026 · 12 min
• News: Yellowstone & Glacier Bear Attacks, Grand Canyon Recovery, Alcatraz Coyote + State Park Updates · May 14, 2026 · 11 min
• News: Foreign Visitor Fees Fall Short, NPS Nominee Withdrawn, More · April 30, 2026 · 11 min
• The National Park Lodge That Almost Disappeared | Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier National Park · April 23, 2026 · 15 min
• News: Zion Dispersed Camping Ban, Boundary Waters Mining, Yellowstone Jail Time, Grand Canyon Water Crisis · April 16, 2026 · 11 min