The Noses
When some people think about Mount Rushmore, they think about serious things like freedom and democracy. Other people think about the presidents' noses . . . and whether or not they are hollow.
Q: Are the noses hollow?
A: No. The nostrils are only slight indentations in the rock. The shadows make the nostrils look hollow. (Gutzon Borlum, the sculptor, paid close attention to the effects of light.)
Q: How long are the presidents' noses?
A: Each nose is about twenty feet long. In case you're wondering how long this is, pretend you are standing on a basketball court and looking up at the rim of the basket. The presidents' noses are twice as high as the rim!
Q: Who carved the nostrils?
A: Jack Payne was one of the carvers who worked on Mount Rushmore. As he drilled the nostrils, he had to aim the jackhammer (a pneumatic drill) directly above his head. As a result, the hot granite dust fell down his neck. He later said that carving the nostrils was "a miserable job."
Q: Why did the workers like George Washington's nose?
A: Worker Emmet Oslund said, "Anytime it rained, nine of us men could hide underneath his nose to stay dry."
Q: Are the noses hollow?
A: No. The nostrils are only slight indentations in the rock. The shadows make the nostrils look hollow. (Gutzon Borlum, the sculptor, paid close attention to the effects of light.)
Q: How long are the presidents' noses?
A: Each nose is about twenty feet long. In case you're wondering how long this is, pretend you are standing on a basketball court and looking up at the rim of the basket. The presidents' noses are twice as high as the rim!
Q: Who carved the nostrils?
A: Jack Payne was one of the carvers who worked on Mount Rushmore. As he drilled the nostrils, he had to aim the jackhammer (a pneumatic drill) directly above his head. As a result, the hot granite dust fell down his neck. He later said that carving the nostrils was "a miserable job."
Q: Why did the workers like George Washington's nose?
A: Worker Emmet Oslund said, "Anytime it rained, nine of us men could hide underneath his nose to stay dry."
Q: Which nose does this president belong to?
A: Theodore Roosevelt.
Q: Are his eyeglasses real?
A: I know this doesn't sound like a nose question, but the answer has something to do with the nose-piece. Here it goes . . . Roosevelt's eyeglasses aren't real. Instead, Gutzon Borglum directed his workers to carve only the nose-piece and part of the frame. The rest of his eyeglasses are created by your imagination.
Do you have more questions about the presidents' noses or anything else about Mount Rushmore? Read the Q&A's, take a look at my books, or send me an email.
A: Theodore Roosevelt.
Q: Are his eyeglasses real?
A: I know this doesn't sound like a nose question, but the answer has something to do with the nose-piece. Here it goes . . . Roosevelt's eyeglasses aren't real. Instead, Gutzon Borglum directed his workers to carve only the nose-piece and part of the frame. The rest of his eyeglasses are created by your imagination.
Do you have more questions about the presidents' noses or anything else about Mount Rushmore? Read the Q&A's, take a look at my books, or send me an email.