Profile in Granite
George Washington's powerful profile is so perfectly placed here that you might assume sculptor Gutzon Borglum planned it. But like many great events and feats, it was purely accidental.
Borglum intended to put Thomas Jefferson on Washington's right, but the poor-quality rock here forced him to change his design. Workers had already blocked out the rough features of Jefferson's face when Borglum decided to move him. The Jefferson carving was blasted away by dynamite and the rock smoothed, allowing for a clear view of Washington's profile from this spot. Jefferson ended up on Washington's left, next to Theodore Roosevelt.
Our first president's head is 60 feet tall. He has a 20-foot nose, an 18-foot-wide mouth and each eye is 11 feet across. If Borglum would have carved Washington's entire body using these dimensions, this Founding Father would be as tall as a 40-story building!
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Goats ON Granite
Mountain goats, introduced to the Black Hills in the 1920, have adapted well to the steep granite cliffs. They spend most of their time on rocky ledges but you may see them along the highway. Please slow down when they are near and don't attempt to feed or pet them.