Memorial History

Charles D'Emery

Early in the project, money was hard to find, despite Borglum's promise that eastern businessmen would gladly make large donations. He also promised the citizens of South Dakota that they would not be responsible for paying for any of the mountain carving. In the summer of 1927, President Calvin Coolidge was in the Black Hills and Borglum was planning a formal dedication of the mountain. Borglum hired a plane to fly over the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park where Coolidge was staying. As he flew over, Borglum dropped a wreath to invite the President to the dedication ceremony. President Coolidge agreed to attend the ceremony, which was held on August 10, 1927, and gave a speech promising federal funding for the project.

Borglum arranged a meeting with the United States Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon to secure his support for the project and the passage of a funding bill, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Act. Borglum was able to convince Secretary Mellon of the importance of the project and gain his support for funding the entire cost. Gutzon Borglum instead asked only for half of what he needed, believing he would be able to match federal funding dollar for dollar with private donations. Senator Norbeck was stunned that Borglum had turned down the offer of full federal funding.

President Coolidge signed the bill authorizing government matching funds up to $250,000. The bill also called for the creation of a 12 member Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission, with members appointed by the President. Coolidge appointed 10 members, leaving the final two spots to be filled by incoming president Herbert Hoover.

When Herbert Hoover took office, he quickly appointed the final two members to the commission, but did not seem in a hurry to meet with the commission, as required by the funding bill before work on the memorial could begin. Congressman Williamson was asked to make an appointment with the President and request that he organize the first commission meeting. Frustrated by the slow pace, Borglum decided to attempt to visit President Hoover himself. When he arrived at the White House, Borglum got into an altercation with the President's secretary and Williamson's appointment was canceled. Congressman Williamson was able to eventually reschedule a meeting with Hoover and convince him of the importance of the project and conducting the first commission meeting. President Hoover met with the commission within a few days, and officers were elected. On the following day, Congressman Williamson and John Boland, the newly elected secretary of the executive committee of the Mount Rushmore Commission, went to pick up the first $54,670.56 from Secretary Mellon. This amount matched what had already been spent on the project by the previous Mount Harney Memorial Association.

One notable exclusion from the new Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission was Doane Robinson. The one person most responsible for conceiving the idea and who supported it for so long, Robinson's name was inexplicably not even on the list of potential candidates to serve on the commission. He continued to support the project and generously offered, "Let me help where I can." Soon, feeling unnecessary, Robinson started to drift away from the Rushmore project.