Black Hills, SDMay 1, 2009
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Glendo, WY wide open spaces
Mt. Rushmore
Mt. Rushmore from plaza with state flags
| Between Denver and the Black Hills, we spent the night in at Glendo, WY. The view of the grazing land, cattle, the lake, and distant mountains was stunning. The owners of the RV park had to herd about 25 one/two year old bulls away from the entrance to the park with their trucks so that we could leave. Mt. Rushmore was our first stop on a day long trip through the Black Hills. Gutzon Borglum's granite monument to America depicts four leaders who brought the nation from colonial times to the 20th century. Most prominent is George Washington commander of the Revolutionary army and first U. S. President. Next is Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, third president, and leader of the Louisiana Purchase. To the far right is Abraham Lincoln, 16th President, whose leadership restored the Union and ended slavery in the U. S. Borglum's hero was the 26th President Theodore Roosevelt, who promoted the construction of the Panama Canal and progressive causes such as conservation and economic reforms. The monument was approved in 1927 but not completed for 14 years. A parking structure, Plaza, theater, museum, gift shop, and food vendors have been added since Janet's visit in 1963. The road from Mt. Rushmore to Custer State Park is very windy, has one lane tunnels, and timber bridges so the road can circle over its self to climb up the hills. Custer State Park has about 1500 Buffalo residents. In 1914 when the buffalo population had gone from 1 million to 1,000 the park was established to preserve this native animal. We think that we saw about 500 of the buffalo inhabitants, at least 200 deer, 10 or 12 donkeys and 5 baby donkeys. The Crazy Horse monument is much larger than Mt. Rushmore. The mountain has been blasted(millions of tons of granite have been removed) and carved for more than 60 years. We think that it may be another 60 years before it is finished. What do you think? The Indians chose Crazy Horse to represent all native tribes because he defended his people and their way of life and he was never known to have signed a treaty. |
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