Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore

Monday, June 11, 2012

Crazy Horse Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota was our next destination. The size of this monument is overwhelming. It was made clear that this is not a federal or state project, but funded by the admission fees and donations. Though it is still in the early stages of completion, it is still worth a visit.

The story of the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, and the amount of work he completed during his lifetime, was amazing. He started the work at Crazy Horse at the invitation of Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear in 1948 when he was 40 years old. Since his death in 1982, his wife and seven of their ten children continue to direct the work. We didn't see any blasting during our visit, but friends, Karen and Tom, were lucky enough to see some during their visit a few years ago.


Our next stop was Mount Rushmore. We really didn't expect to see any changes since our childhood visits in the late 1950's, but it sure didn't seem like the same place. New to us was the impressive Grand View Terrace, Amphitheater, Presidential Trail along the Avenue of Flags, Borglum View Terrace, and the Sculptor's Studio. Oh, and the Lincoln Borgluim Visitor Center with its many exhibits. We caught a Ranger hike around the Presidential Trail and a second talk about the creation of the monument. Those Park Rangers sure are doing a great job.

Back on the road heading to Wyoming. Spent the night in Deadwood at the Fish 'n Fry Campground. We drove through Deadwood to check it out, but didn't find anything interesting enough to get out of the van.