Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is a huge stone carving on a mountain in South Dakota. It shows the faces of four famous U.S. presidents. These faces are cut right into the rock of the mountain. Many people visit it every year.

The Four Presidents

The four faces are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. They were picked because of their important work for the country. Each face is about 60 feet tall. That is as tall as a six-story building.

Four huge presidents' faces carved into a mountain, seen from far away.
Four huge presidents' faces carved into a mountain, seen from far away. (Grahampurse / Wikimedia Commons)

How It Was Made

A sculptor named Gutzon Borglum led the carving. Work started in 1927 and ended in 1941. Workers used dynamite to blast away most of the rock. Then they used small tools to carve the details.

Fun Facts

  • About 400 workers helped carve Mount Rushmore.
  • No workers died while making the monument, even though it was risky.
  • More than 2 million people visit Mount Rushmore each year.

Did You Know?

There is a hidden room behind Lincoln's head called the Hall of Records.