Mount Rushmore Visit
Mount Rushmore is a symbol of a state depicted through the prominence of its leaders. The monument, and its beauty mark the remembrance of America’s origin, and it is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Its devotion lies on the four prominent figures in the American history. The structure includes four faces of American presidents, a cave that appears behind the faces, and the country’s history. Each president is associated with a particular supremacy as a result of their great contribution towards the development of the United States. Since Mount Rushmore is an iconic symbol of beauty in America, this narration focuses on the history, artistry, and factors that influenced its geographical location as well as its significance in the modern world.
Last weekend I had a great experience after visiting Mount Rushmore. Upon arrival, I walked straight to the observation deck and waited for my tour guide to take me round the monument. After a couple of minutes, the tour guide accompanied me, and we began the walk. Our first stop was at the presidential trail that included four heads of the American Presidents, and how they got their way to the mountain. The most famous face was that of George Washington representing the origin of America, and how America got its freedom. The America’s growth process, and declaration of Independence scripts were represented by Thomas Jefferson’s face. Next, was Theodore Roosevelt’s face that signified his consideration of workers and building of Panama Canal. Lastly, Abraham Lincoln’s face was on the mountain for uniting the nation during civil war as well as bringing slavery to an end.
As we walked I kept learning more about the historical facts on how the monument came into being. It was quite interesting to learn that the construction of Mount Rushmore sculpts began in 1927, and most carvings were made from dynamite material. George Washington’s head only consumed six thousand pound of dynamite. The workers used jackhammers and hand chisels to design the faces. Finally, buffers were used to create smooth and shiny faces to make them more real. The workforce included both men and women who were four hundred in total and none of them died during the process. However, some of these workers died of lung infection years later due to the dust inhaled during the carving process. The history of the faces is long and involves a lot more people than those who are on the mountain.
Next, I was guided through the Avenue Flags section where I learned that the flags were added to mark the celebration of the two hundredth birth of the United State. The section had sixty six flags representing the number of states in the U.S. The section also provided a good view point; thus, it was preferred by many people since it had access to direct sunlight. The Mount’s flora and fauna resembled those on the Black Hills of South Dakota. A variety of birds such as golden eagle, swallows, bald eagle, turkey vulture, and red-tailed hawk flew around, hence creating nesting spots along its edges. Beautiful green coniferous trees found on the lower elevations were grown to surround the monument and create shelter from the direct sunlight. Wild flowers, such as sunflowers, beautified the entire region. Notably, the area supported both animal and plant life due to the adequate amount of rainfall that it received every year.
Ancient artifacts and historical documents would not remain behind; thus, they were protected to be provided to tourists. Despite being carried away by the magnificence of the region, I was quick to notice a number of things during the walk. An example was a repository with enamel segments containing historical and biographical information inside a cave. These enamels had text representing vital information about the history of Mount Rushmore, and protection of such information ensured that history was transferred from one generation to another. The section was generally referred to as Hall of Records Panel. The mountain indeed protects the history of the United States,
Initially, the mountain was known as the Six Grandfathers by the Lakota, but later got the name Rushmore from Charles Rushmore, a New York Attorney General. Since then the mountain has been referred to as Mount Rushmore. Despite being a symbol of nation’s history, Mount Rushmore has great significance such as attracting tourists, and opening opportunities for businesses. Some people tour the mountain as an adventure, while others visit to relive their past memories about the carving period. Important facilities such as visitor centers were constructed to ensure guests satisfaction after the visit and to encourage them to continue visiting the region. As we moved on, I was fully satisfied with the services, and was certain that the visit would equip me with memories about magnificence, beauty, and history of this mountain. It came to my realization that tourism industry, being the second-largest industry in South Dakota contributed greatly to the economic growth of the state.
Conclusion
My visit to Mount Rushmore was worthwhile with great experiences of the biology and history of the world. The region is highly recommendable particularly to students since it offers a good learning environment. The tour enabled me to link the experiences of ancient monument to modern life experiences both historically and geographically. It further led to the development of significant social constructs such as art, natural beauty, and technology towards the achievement of an overall economic growth. Therefore, Mount Rushmore offered a good learning environment for me, especially on its historical background.