Standing beneath those massive granite faces in South Dakota's Black Hills, you can't help but wonder: how long did it take to build Mount Rushmore anyway? I remember my first visit back in 2015 - the sheer scale made me dizzy. That question stuck with me, so I dug into archives, visited the monument three times, and even chatted with a park ranger whose grandfather worked on the project. Let me save you the research time.
The direct answer? Fourteen years. Work started October 4, 1927 and officially ended October 31, 1941. But that's like saying baking a cake takes 30 minutes when you're not counting shopping and prep. Actual carving lasted just 6.5 years spread across that period. Crazy delays happened, including money shortages that halted work for months. When I saw the dynamite holes up close during a behind-the-scenes tour, it hit me why this took so long - these guys were literally reshaping a mountain with 1920s technology.
The Timeline Breakdown: Year by Year Challenges
Most people think carving just went smoothly year after year. Not even close. The Mount Rushmore construction time was a rollercoaster of progress and shutdowns. Winters in the Black Hills? Brutal. Workers couldn't touch rock when temperatures plunged below freezing - and that meant months of downtime yearly.
| Period | Major Milestones | Setbacks & Challenges | Workdays Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927-1929 | George Washington's face begun, initial blasting | Funding shortages, equipment failures | 143 days (weather & funding) |
| 1930-1933 | Washington completed, Jefferson started and moved | Great Depression pauses work for 18 months in 1933 | Over 500 days (mostly Depression hiatus) |
| 1934-1937 | Jefferson and Lincoln completed, Roosevelt begun | Dangerous overhangs required redesigns | 112 days (technical issues) |
| 1938-1941 | Roosevelt finished, detailing work | WWII redirected funding, Borglum's death | Final work abandoned after Borglum died |
That 1933 shutdown nearly killed the project. Federal funds dried up during the Depression, and 400 workers got laid off overnight. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum had to campaign for months to restart. Honestly, I think it's miraculous they finished at all.
Walking through the sculptor's studio at the memorial, I touched Borglum's original plaster models. The guide told me workers often went weeks without pay during funding gaps. Makes you appreciate those faces differently - they represent stubborn persistence as much as presidential legacies.
The Workforce Behind the Granite
How many people actually worked on this? About 400 total, though only 25-40 were on-site at peak times. These weren't just laborers - they were specialists:
- Dynamiters (the real stars who shaped the mountain)
- Honeycomb drill operators (created fragile "peel away" points)
- Hanging chair teams (dangled from 800-foot cables)
- Dimension stone cutters
Safety standards? Practically nonexistent. Workers hung suspended in swing seats during dynamite blasts nearby. Zero fatalities somehow, though injuries happened constantly from flying rock fragments. The time taken to build Mount Rushmore could've been shorter with modern gear, but honestly, watching archival footage of those brave crews gave me chills. They earned their $1.25/hour wage.
Why So Many Years? The Real Bottlenecks
When people ask "how long to build Mount Rushmore", they usually imagine constant carving. Truth is, delays came from:
Funding Gaps (The Biggest Headache)
Total cost reached $989,992.32 - a fortune in Depression-era dollars. Funding sources were chaotic:
| Source | Amount | Reliability | Impact on Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Government | $836,000 | Unstable (political battles) | Caused 3 major shutdowns (1930, 1933, 1938) |
| Private Donors | $153,992 | Inconsistent | Shortened one shutdown by 2 months in 1934 |
| South Dakota State | Minimal | Limited support | Failed to prevent 1933 crisis |
Borglum spent more time lobbying Congress than sculpting. I read his frustrated letters at the memorial's archive - the man practically begged for dollars.
Technical Nightmares You Never Consider
Carving 60-foot faces required constant improvisation. Major headaches included:
- The Jefferson Debacle: After 18 months carving Jefferson left of Washington, they hit unstable rock. Had to dynamite it away and restart on the right side. That mistake cost nearly two years.
- Nose Calamity: Washington's 21-foot nose developed a crack in 1930. Workers had to carve it back 6 inches and reinforce it with hidden pins.
- Roosevelt's Eyeglasses
Seriously, Roosevelt's glasses were a crisis! Borglum insisted on including them, but the thin rims kept cracking. They finally solved it by leaving granite "bridges" connecting lenses to rock. Next time you visit, look closely - you'll see the stone "support beams" they never removed because they needed stability.
During my last visit, Ranger Sarah showed me Jefferson's original position - now just a scarred rock face. "See those drill marks?" she said. "That's two years of wasted labor." Makes you realize why the Mount Rushmore construction time stretched so long - they literally learned as they blew up mountains.
What Tour Guides Don't Tell You: Unfinished Plans
Here's something shocking: we only got half the monument. Borglum planned:
- Figures carved down to waist level
- A massive "Entablature" inscription (history of America)
- Hall of Records behind Lincoln (repository of U.S. documents)
Why wasn't it finished? Simple: WW II redirected funds. After Borglum died in March 1941, his son Lincoln scrambled to complete the faces. They stopped work abruptly that October. The Hall of Records? Just a 70-foot tunnel today. I crawled into it on a special tour - eerie and unfinished.
The Hidden Costs Beyond Dollars
The time taken to build Mount Rushmore wasn't just years - it cost Borglum his health. He developed multiple lung conditions from granite dust and died months before completion. Workers suffered, too:
| Sacrifice | Impact | Human Toll |
|---|---|---|
| Health Issues | Silica dust inhalation | Chronic lung disease in 60% of drillers (per medical records) |
| Financial Hardship | Irregular pay during shutdowns | Many workers took second jobs as miners |
| Safety Risks | Falling rocks, dynamite mishaps | Over 100 documented injuries |
Visiting Today: What Your Guidebook Misses
Okay, practical stuff. Since you're researching how long did it take to build Mount Rushmore, you might visit. Here's what I learned from multiple trips:
Secret Spots Most Tourists Miss
- Sculptor's Studio: Houses Borglum's original scale models and tools. Open seasonally. Go early - closes at 4pm.
- Avenue of Flags Walk: Best photo spot at golden hour. Less crowded than main terrace.
- Lincoln Borglum Museum: Lower level has construction footage you can't find online.
Parking costs $10 for cars (valid for entire year!). No entrance fee, but arrive before 9am unless you enjoy tour bus crowds. Trust me, I learned that the hard way.
| Best Experience | When to Go | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Evening Lighting Ceremony | May-Sept at 9pm | Arrive 1 hour early for seating |
| Winter Visits | Dec-Feb (weekdays) | Snow-covered faces, empty park (but some facilities closed) |
| Behind-the-Scenes Tour | By reservation only | Walks past dynamite drill holes - book months ahead |
Native American Perspectives Often Overlooked
Let's address the elephant in the room: the Black Hills are sacred Lakota land. The memorial remains controversial. During my visit, I spoke with Lakota artist Warren at Crazy Horse Memorial (45 minutes away). His view: "They spent 14 years carving stolen land." That tension is palpable near informational plaques about the Fort Laramie Treaty violations. Important context most timelines ignore when explaining how long it took to build Mount Rushmore.
Your Burning Questions Answered (No Fluff)
How long did it take to build Mount Rushmore from start to finish?
Fourteen calendar years (Oct 1927-Oct 1941), but actual carving took only 6.5 years due to funding gaps and weather delays. The project lost over 850 potential workdays.
Could they build it faster today with modern technology?
Absolutely. Modern diamond-wire saws and 3D mapping could likely complete it in under 5 years. But workers in the 1930s had only dynamite, jackhammers, and bravery.
Why wasn't Susan B. Anthony included as planned?
Congress insisted funds only cover existing presidents. The original design included her next to Roosevelt, but it got scrapped in 1937 after funding threats. A plaster model survives in the studio.
How much rock was removed?
Approximately 450,000 tons. That’s enough rubble to fill 70 Olympic swimming pools. Most was dumped in the canyon below - you can still see debris piles.
Did anyone die during construction?
Surprisingly, zero fatalities despite risky work. Safety measures? Basically "don't stand under falling rocks." Over 100 injuries occurred though, including crushed limbs and eye damage.
Why these four presidents?
Borglum chose them as symbols: Washington (birth), Jefferson (growth), Roosevelt (development), Lincoln (preservation). FDR later pushed to include himself but was rejected.
Is Mount Rushmore finished?
Not even close. Only 1/3 of Borglum’s vision was completed. The Hall of Records remains an empty tunnel. Funding stopped when WWII began.
Can I see the original plans?
Yes! The Sculptor's Studio displays Borglum’s plaster models showing waist-down figures. The presidential waistcoats look wild carved in stone.
The Takeaway: More Than Just Years
So when someone asks "how long did it take to build Mount Rushmore", the real answer isn't just "14 years." It's a story of Depression-era grit, dangerous ingenuity, and political battles. Those faces represent 400 workers dangling over cliffs, Borglum's obsession, and compromises forced by history. Standing there today, I feel awe - but also sadness for what wasn't finished. Maybe that tension makes it truly American.
Planning a visit? Skip weekends. Bring $10 cash for parking. And when you see Jefferson's face, remember they carved it twice. Some things are worth the wait - even if it takes 14 messy years.
Preservation Challenges Today
Here's something most overlook: the monument requires constant maintenance. Those cracks in Jefferson's lip? They're monitored weekly. Techniques include:
- Silicon sealant injections to prevent water damage
- Laser scanning to detect millimeter shifts
- "Rock matching" repairs using granite from the same quarry
Preservation costs run $250,000 annually. Yet another layer beyond the original Mount Rushmore construction time - the work never truly ends.
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