Carved into the granite of Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, this colossal sculpture, features the faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, and has a fascinating link to San Antonio’s history.
Photo: Mount Rushmore…NBC News
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum, ( born John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum in 1867 ), the son of Danish immigrants, had already earned a reputation for his artwork across the country, including a memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson at Baker College at Saranac Lake in the state of New York, a bust of Abraham Lincoln which was displayed in the United State Capitol rotunda for many decades, a sculpture of Thomas Paine in Paris, the North Carolina Monument at the Gettysburg Battlefield in Pennsylvania, and other works in Connecticut, Wisconsin, Manhattan, New Jersey, and his unique “Aviator” sculpture at the University of Virginia.
Photo: Portrait of Gutzon Borglum…Wikipedia
After living in Idaho, Utah, Paris, California and New York for many years, Borglum moved to San Antonio in 1925, and made his home in the historic Menger Hotel.
It was then that he began work on the “Trail Drivers” sculpture which now can be found on the grounds of the Witte Museum. It was originally meant to be 4 times the current size, and he had hoped it would grace the entrance to the Municipal Auditorium.
Photo: “Trail Riders” sculpture at the Witte Museum …Author
He fell in love with San Antonio, and he set up a studio in a dilapidated building near the banks of the San Antonio River in Brackenridge Park. It was converted into his workspace in the mid 1920’s, and here, Gutzon Borglum created many of his famous works….including the “Trail Drivers” sculpture and the original models of the Mount Rushmore monument.
Photo: Borglum working on a model for Mount Rushmore….reddit.com
The building, near the Mill Race Bridge, was formally an 1880’s pumping station for George Brackenridge’s plan to supply water to the city of San Antonio, and had fallen into disrepair over many years since it was abandoned in 1915. Borglum made it his studio for 13 years. He had leased the old pump station from the city, and then poured $7,000 of his own money into remodeling the building.
Photo: Gutzon Borglum former studio….Author
The instigator of the sculpture was Doane Robinson, referred to as the “Father of Mount Rushmore” who knew of Gutzon Borglum, contacted him in 1924 to pitch the project. Robinson’s goal was to create a monument to attract more visitors to his state.
Photo: Invitation to Gutzon Borglum from Doane Robinson…National Park Service
Photo: Gutzon Borglum’s reply…..Rapid City Journal
According to the book “Unfinished Dream” by Lincoln Borglum, the original design contained only three faces….Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln. When the face of Roosevelt was also chosen, there was widespread controversy. However, Borglum felt strongly about his idea and received support from President Calvin Coolidge for the choice.
According to the artist, each President was chosen for a specific reason:-
George Washington: Holds the prominent position in the sculpture, and represents the birth of the United States, and the foundation of American democracy
Thomas Jefferson: Gutzon Borglum chose him to represent the growth of the United States.
Theodore Roosevelt: Borglum selected him to represent the development of the United States.
Abraham Lincoln: Chosen because according to Borglum, he represented the preservation of the United States.
According to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society, Gutzon Borglum loved dedications. The first dedication of Mount Rushmore was on October 1, 1925. This was seven weeks after he first saw Mount Rushmore. Three thousand people attended the event as Borglum planted a U.S. flag on top of the mountain on that day. Work began on the Memorial two years later.
Photo: Gutzon Borglum plants the flag on Mount Rushmore….Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society Facebook page
Construction on the project began on October 4th, 1927, and Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln made many journeys between his San Antonio studio and the Black Hills region of South Dakota to oversee the progress and the 400 strong crew.
Photo: Gutzon Borglum works on a model of Washington’s face…Travel South Dakota
Finally, after 14 years, the sculpture, with the 60′ high faces, was officially opened on October 31st, 1941. Sadly, Gutzon Borglum did not live to see the finished project. He passed away seven months before it was completed. He had undertaken a grueling schedule of supervision and fund-raising, had suffered a heart attack, and died after complications following surgery in Chicago. The monument’s completion was handled by his son Lincoln, who primarily left it in the state it had reached under his father’s direction, and that is what attracts more than 2 million visitors to the sculpture each year.
Additional stories:
The original design for the monument was to feature the Presidents from head to waist, however this idea was cut short when the necessary funds did not become available.
Photo: Gutzon Borglum with full model of Mount Rushmore…TIME Magazine
Gutzon Borglum is remembered in San Antonio with artwork on the Mill Race Bridge in Brackenridge Park, near to where his studio was located. The artwork on the bridge was created by Diana Kersey.
Photo: Artwork remembering Gutzon Borglum on Mill Race Bridge….Author
Sources:
uiw.edu
“This used to be San Antonio” Gil Dominguez
“San Antonio – Uncovered” Mark Louis Rybczyk
Wikipedia
Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society Facebook page.
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