People had to think that this guy was completely nuts. Looking at it. That’s all I could think. I mean, stop and think about it. What possesses a person to wake up one morning and say “I’m going to carve faces into this mountain of granite.”.
Who would do this? Why would you do this? I mean, the guy knew full well it wasn’t going to make him a millionaire. With his skill he could have worked carving and designing something much smaller and made millions right? If they could keep him out of a straight jacket that is. I’m trying to figure out this sales pitch really.
But lets start with the obvious. They needed some one crazy enough to try it. They found this in Gutzon Borglum. Yep. Here is a guy just crazy enough to try this little adventure.
At the start, they couldn’t find much money. Even though Gutzon had the thought’s that investors were going to pour money into the project to help get this vision off the ground. I can’t imagine why. I mean the chances of this being pulled off were slim and none. And for no real return other than the promise to have a name on a plaque for a project that may fail? They did manage to get some support though. And Calvin Coolidge also promised federal money to them.
So in 1927 they began carving into this mountain. But lets go back to this whole money thing. The project didn’t get done until 1941. So lets fill in some time gaps here. The project went through a stock market crash, the great depression, and even part of World War 2. It’s even said that towards the end of the project Gutzon Borglum spent all of his time trying to raise money for his project. With his son finishing what was left.
At the memorial I see the giant compressors that helped to carve the mountain. Little swings that were used to hang from the side to carve the face. And they were using TNT to blast holes into the side of this thing. Something I can only imagine was not exactly precise. I mean the cracks themselves from the natural lines in the granite should make this impossible right? There was no computers. There were no laser diamond cutters? How do you do this?
Looking around the memorial, I see people from all over the US. People coming to see Mt Rushmore. Were they thinking the same things as me? Were they thinking just how crazy all of this was? Though there is no way I could know this for sure, I think they did. Looking at it even in this day and age is truly amazing. And even if they did have the precision instruments we have in this day and age, it would still be almost impossible.
Then it hit me. It wasn’t impossible. It got done. And it’s right in front of me. These people had a dream. And they made it real. They didn’t think about the money. They didn’t think about the logistics. They defied what science and logic said could be done. They carved a dream and made it real.
I started thinking about the Wright Brothers. Thomas Edison. Alexander Gram Bell. What would our world look like without all of this? Without their dreams what would we be doing? They were all crazy. All of them. But those crazy dreamers shaped the world as we know it. And they all had something in common. They made their dreams become reality.
2020 has been a crazy roller coaster. And it’s easy to give up hope that much good will come of it. But what would Gutzon Borglum have done if he would have gave up hope? If he would have used logic instead of his dreams and wishes.
People from all over this world have seen the faces carved into this mountain. And I do think you can’t help see it with wonder. But maybe that was the purpose. To inspire. How many doctors will see Mt Rushmore and be inspired to come up with a cure for a disease? How many engineers will see this and think of new technology to make cars safer? Or how many people will see it and be inspired to start their own business? Or how many writers will see the faces and be in wonder to write their own blog?
Mt Rushmore is hopes. It’s dreams. And it’s the wonder of what is still yet to come. Through all adversity, it prevailed. Just as we will too.
As I watch the sunset on this amazing monument, I see the incredible green hue from the lights off the granite. Almost seeming to give life to the mountain. As if to say, this is hope, this is dreams, and this is the future.
I know some will just look and see a decorated rock. And they are entitled to their opinion. But next time you see a picture or license plate with the faces on it stop and think. These people were crazy. They defied logic. They did what many thought couldn’t be done. They took their dreams and made them real. So maybe being crazy isn’t so bad. And by the way, don’t even get me started on Crazy Horse Monument.
Until next time.
