Thursday, July 23, 2009

Mt. Rushmore




Mt Rushmore is in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was started in 1927 and finished in 1941. Each night they do a lighting cermony where a park ranger gives a little patriotic speach prior to lighting the faces of the Presidents. They also invite all current and former military members to come down on the stage while a scout troop retires the flag. Then each military person said their name and what branch they served in. This was a very neat thing to experience.


Here are the military members and scout troop as the flag is retired.

You can see Mt. Rushmore in the background.

A closeup of the lighted presidents.

This was prior to the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore.


From left to right: George Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln. The noses are 20 feet from brow to tip and the faces are 60 feet.

There is a little trail you can go on to get closer. All the loose rock is from being blasted off when they were doing the carving. Most of the "carving" was done with dynamite.



8 comments:

Tonya said...

How cool! It looks like you are all enjoying your summer vacation! I guess since we move away ya gotta fill your time with something, huh? hee hee! Great pics!

atkernsfam said...

That is prett cool. I've always wanted to see Mt. Rushmore. Thanks for the pictures. Maybe I can go someday, but now I can say I've almost been there :)! You seem to have had a great traveling summer! Lots of memories and some history to go along with it all.

Em said...

That's one mighty long nose!!! I like your family picture! and we are counting down the days :)
Em

Justin said...

Josh, thanks for the post. After seeing those photos, I decided I needed to add Mt. Rushmore to me list of places to visit in the states. See you soon.

Polkowske Fam said...

Thanks for those amazing pictures...I too would like to see those in person someday! What a fun trip, and I love the family picture in front of the monument. What a neat ceremony too.

Jason and Stacy Bingham said...

Nice pictures guys,
Looks like you had a great time. See ya soon
Jason

Dean and Dawnie said...

I love your pictures! The family picture and the one of the kids with Rushmore in the background are my favorites.

Thanks for posting. It is great to share your trip!
You are doing a good job posting!

We are enjoying your wonderful family!

mariann and Tory said...

That looks awesome!! That is on our list of places to go see! To bad I was in school so we couldn't go with you!