Profile in Granite
George Washington's powerful profile is so
perfectly placed here that you might assume
sculptor Gutzon Borglum planned it. But like
many great events and feats, it was purely
accidental.
Borglum intended to put Thomas Jefferson on
Washngton's right, but the poor-quality rock here
forced him to change his design. Workers had
already blocked out the rough features of
Jefferson's face when Borglum decided to move
him. The Jefferson carving was blasted away by
dynamite and the rock smoothed, allowing for a
clear view of Washington's profile from this spot.
Jefferson ended up on Washington's left, next to
Theodore Roosevelt.
Our first president's head is 60 feet tall. He
has a 20-foot nose, and 18-foot-wide mouth
and each eye is 11 feet across. If Borglum would
have carved Washington's entire body using
these dimensions, this Founding Father would
be as tall as a 40-story building!
Goats ON Granite
Mountain goats, introduced to the Black Hills in the
1920s, have adapted well tot he steep granite cliffs.
They spend most of their time on
rocky ledges but you may see
them along the highway. Please
slow down when they are near
and don't attempt to feed or pet them.
