AnirudhaThe Cost
At last, after all, the non-stop hard work and planning the Mount Rushmore National Memorial construction was officially completed on October 31, 1941. It was a long ride with all kinds of ups and downs but in the end, Gutzon Borglum’s dream was a reality. The whole project cost around $989,992.32 and the cost would have been more if they have kept going on to complete some of the original designs.
No Deaths
If you think completion of the project is the only achievement that made the news then let me tell you, during all the construction work where over 400 workers worked in full swing there were not single death accidents even though the work was risky and tough. In 1966, Mount Rushmore was added to the list of the National of Historic Places, and in 1991, President H.W. Bush officially dedicated Mount Rushmore. Then years later, Gutzon Borglum’s wish finally came into existence.
The Hall Was Eventually Completed
When it seemed like there is no other way that could finish Gutzon Borglum’s original plans for the Hall of Records and his dream will never see the start. Then, on August 8, 1998, the proposal for beginning the construction of the Hall of Records was passed. Though in the proposed plan the size was reduced still, Gutzon’s dream was alive. They even added a repository of records at the entry gate which was kept on teakwood box inside a titanium vault which was covered by a granite capstone.
Borglum’s Words
There is a quote of Gutzon that was inscribed on the capstone that says,“..let us place there, carved high, as close to heaven as we can, the words of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were. Then breathe a prayer that these records will endure until the wind and rain alone shall wear them away.”
But there was something else which was kept inside the vault.
Gutzon Borglum Still Got His Records
Inside this vault, there are sixteen porcelain panels. On the panels, there are stories of Mount Rushmore’s creation, about the person who carved it and the reason behind each president’s face. The panel also consists of the short story about the history of the United States for people who want to know more about the country’s past and achievements. There is also an engraving of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
A Time Capsule
Today if you visit the site, you might find this hall covered behind a 1,200-pound granite slab to keep unwanted entries away. This is done so that the tunnel is kept undisturbed and people don’t walk around as they please. It is supposed to serve a very crucial purpose for the people who will discover this site in the future by chance.