Mt. Rushmore and Keystone

Images of America: South Dakota

by Tom Domek, Robert E. Hayes

In the heart of a geological upthrust, four presidents, memorialized in granite, gaze across the rugged country of South Dakota’s Black Hills. At the foot of the mountain lies Keystone, a small community indelibly linked to the carving of Mount Rushmore. In 1876, prospectors swarmed into the central Black Hills in search of gold. While they did find it, these early miners also found other minerals, such as tin and feldspar. By the turn of the 20th century, Keystone was well-known for its mineral riches, but also for the boom and bust cycles that often accompany mining. The town’s future was guaranteed in 1925, however, when Gutzon Borglum, a noted sculptor, arrived to secure a location for a monument to American democracy. Borglum drew heavily on the skills of Keystone miners, putting them to work on a mountain that would soon portray the images of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. In this book, readers will find vintage photographs—many never before published—that, along with engaging narrative, tell the story of Keystone and the carving of Mount Rushmore.

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2006

Reviews

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

From 2006, out of the "Images of America: South Dakota" series comes the entry by Tom Domek and Robert Hayes on "Mt. Rushmore and Keystone". The book is divided into 4 sections, one dealing with the founding of Keystone in the early days of the Black Hills gold rush among other things. The next one deals with the carving of Mt. Rushmore and the various challenges that were faced with it. Section 3 deals with the Stratobowl which would play an integral part in the space race albeit with experiments done with balloons in 1934 & 1935. The final segment deals with the tourism piece which is a big part of the draw to this part of the Black Hills. It's a fun book for anyone who has visited this area or lives there to read. It also would encourage in my mind people to visit as well.

[Donna Covell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome pictures - explains the history of Mt. Rushmore - wish I had read the book before I visited this landmark.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good pictorial history of Mt Rushmore and the Keystone area.