Mount Rushmore Memories
 

By Jean L.S. Patrick

Mount Rushmore Memories is full of personal memories about Mount Rushmore. 

Here's one of mine:

It's from January 2004, when I began to do research for the picture book Who Carved the Mountain? The Story of Mount Rushmore. 

I left my house at 5:30 on a Wednesday morning.  It was still dark, and the north wind gusted against the side of my car.

After I crossed the Missouri River, it began to snow.  Not hard, but enough to make me worry.  The temperature was 23 degrees below zero.  

I kept driving.

When I arrived at Mount Rushmore, the sun was shining, the air was still, and the temperature had jumped to zero.  The sky was a deep cerulean blue (about the same color as the borders of this page!)

No one was on the viewing terrace except for a small group of park rangers.  They were taking pictures of the four faces of the presidents.

What amazed me was not the dusting of snow that outlined the details of George Washington's lapel. 

Instead, it was the joy of the rangers.  They were as excited as tourists, even though they saw Mount Rushmore every day.

In many ways, this memory represents my experiences at Mount Rushmore.  Through the years, I've discovered that the story of Mount Rushmore isn't just about the mountain.  It's bigger.  Much bigger. 

The story of Mount Rushmore is the story of its people.
 

* * * * *

* What is your memory of Mount Rushmore?  When did you visit?   Who were you with?  What do you remember about the day?

Please send your memory to me in an email.  I'd love to read it. 

And who knows?  Maybe we can add it to the website!

Click here to send a memory.