Rushmore Mountain, South Dakota

Rushmore Mountain, South Dakota

Exhibited near Rapid City, South Dakota, Mount Rushmore is a magnificent monument sculpted from a granite mountain. The massive memorial is a group portrait featuring presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

It took artist Gutzon Borglum 14 years to complete the government commission. Concealed in a sacred wilderness of rock and pine called the Black Hills, the work looks unfinished but rough hewn edges give it a certain sketchiness that blends into the natural environment.

Upon entering the busy complex, a grand boulevard leads to an amphitheater where the sculpture can be closely contemplated. Rushmore definitely exudes patriotism and as an attraction luring tourists to the remote High Plains, the astonishing work of art is certainly a success.

Comments

  1. tawnyaApril 21, 2016 at 8:51 AM

    Definitely on my #bucketlist of places to go! Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerMay 2, 2016 at 10:51 PM

      I've been there a few times and it's really an interesting place. I hope you're able to get there someday.

      Delete
  2. UnknownApril 21, 2016 at 11:48 AM

    One of the places I HAVE to go to.
    Melanie Schulz from
    Melanie Schulz.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerMay 2, 2016 at 10:50 PM

      If you ever have a chance to get there, I recommend it. It's a remarkable monument.

      Delete
  3. SumoflamApril 27, 2016 at 4:14 PM

    Been there three times!! South Dakota has a number of treasures

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerMay 2, 2016 at 10:49 PM

      Yep, I think my favorite places in South Dakota are the Badlands and the Black Hills.

      Delete
  4. gravestone inscriptionsMay 7, 2016 at 1:41 PM

    Years ago, after my elderly father-in-law died of natural causes I often took my beloved mother-in-law to visit his grave site.tombstone memorial

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lair O' the Bear and Dunafon Castle

Image
The restored Dunafon Castle Lair O' the Bear Park is nestled in a steep canyon about six miles east of Evergreen, Colorado. John and Matilda Johnson emigrated from Sweden with their two young boys and purchased the narrow meadow in 1902. They named it Mountain Nook Ranch, built a four-bedroom house and raised Red Durham cattle. Their two sons, Finis and Francis, attended school in nearby Starbuck, now known as Idledale. It was originally named for John Starbuck who won the town property in a poker game. John Johnson was a master gardener and his popular, fresh produce was sold in Evergreen and Denver. They planted over 200 cherry and apple trees in the area. If you look closely many can still be found throughout the park today. The unruly Bear Creek sculpted the beautiful scenery and provided the needed irrigation for productive crops but it also wreaked plenty of havoc. There was a constant fear of extreme flooding. The Lariat Trail (Highway 74 today) crossed Bear Creek s...
Read more

Ibis - A Symbol for Danger and Optimism

Image
White Ibis The white ibis is a wading bird that is very common throughout Florida. Their traditional habitat has always been the Everglades but they've recently adapted to a more urban environment. During our visit there this past summer, we frequently saw ibises on freshly mowed lawns rooting for large bugs as well as stalking aquatic prey along the shoreline of ponds, lakes and marshes. These splendid, white birds have evolved a long, downward-curved bill. This distinctive feature has helped them develop into efficient hunters. Their legs are long enough to wade in shallow water but they are also perfectly at home on dry land where they can use their pink beak to probe for insects. The white ibis is a symbol for danger and optimism because Native American folklore held that the bird was the last to seek shelter before a hurricane and the first to emerge afterwards.
Read more

An Approaching Storm - Colored Pencil Drawing

Image
"An Approaching Storm" Colored Pencil In the midst of an already grievous winter, an approaching storm gradually extinguishes the landscape’s last sliver of light. The inclement weather rushes in aggressively as it envelopes the magnificent range of rugged peaks. Extending across the page, a strip of turquoise sky is still visible above the embattled scenery. It won’t be long, though, before a cloak of cool-gray smothers the valley in a shroud of deep snow. The high mountains assume a defiant posture as their sharp edges tear through the soft atmosphere, creating patches of bare rock. The kaleidoscope of broken terrain sparkles in blue-violet before the impending storm’s onset. The forested foothills are distinguished by three different, overlapping tiers of conifers. As the woodland ramparts recede into the distance, the wintery colors gradually become several shades bluer. The wide, white meadow sweeps across the foreground, its smooth surface decorated with elongated shado...
Read more