Mt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SD

Bridget:

So, Craig and I have to ask: Can you name the four Presidents on Mt. Rushmore? The first time I ever saw a picture of Mt. Rushmore was probably in an elementary social studies textbook. The idea of carving four Presidents’ faces into a mountain seemed pretty cool, but no textbook or picture on the Internet can do this place justice. First of all, it is not right off the Interstate, so you must drive through the Black Hills National Forest to get there. As we curved back and forth through the mountains, all of a sudden the mountain comes into sight….with four historically familiar faces peering out at you. It is quite an amazing thing to see, especially when you are not expecting it at the moment.

I am a pretty big fan of monuments, especially after spending a summer in D.C., so naturally I was happy to see that the National Park Service has constructed quite the monumental entrance for this place. Complete with all the state flags, an amphitheatre for nightly lighting ceremonies, a visitor’s center, and a “Presidential Trail” that leads to the bottom of the mountain, Mt. Rushmore has become quite the attraction. Craig was pretty shocked by the development, considering none of it was there when he visited as a kid.

Here are some quick stats about the size:

Washington’s eyes = 11 ft. wide
Washington’s nose = 26 ft. long
Lincoln’s mole = 16 inches across
All faces = six stories tall

Equally….um…..impressive…weird…unnecessary…(you can decide for yourself) were the variety and quantity of items available in the gift shop:

A T-Rex to place next to your Mt. Rushmore snow globe...

for the best drop of coffee you ever had...

and International Flags...made in the USA, of course.

All that and no non-glittery stickers. Go figure.

Leaving Mt. Rushmore, we ventured about 17 miles down the road to take a quick look at the Crazy Horse Monument. This is a project started in 1948 that honors the Oglala Lakota warrior chief “Crazy Horse.” It is not scheduled for completion until the year 2050, but when finished, it will be the world’s largest statue. Apparently the horse’s nostril alone will be large enough to fit a five-room house inside of it.

That night, we camped in Deadwood, South Dakota, and ventured into the little historic city to “wet our whistles.” Walking down the street, I was amazed at all the hotel casinos. It was like Vegas collided with the Wild West, and Deadwood was the result. Signs advertising penny and nickel slots, single-deck black jack, and three-card poker littered the windows, and women wearing old-school saloon dresses took orders from thirsty gamblers. After a drink at Saloon No. 10, I thought I would try my luck at a nickel slot….until I realized the machines only accepted bills. Call me cheap, safe, whatever, but I’d rather spend my dollar on a good cup of coffee. If you’re ever near Deadwood, you must stop by…if nothing else, for a good laugh.

Next Stop: Wall Drug: Wall, SD