Mount Rushmore, one of America’s most iconic heritage sites, stands majestically in the Black Hills of South Dakota, earning the moniker “The Shrine of Democracy.” Despite being left unfinished, the monument continues to draw over 2 million visitors annually. However, the mountain’s name, Mount Rushmore, has an intriguing origin.
Contrary to popular belief, Mount Rushmore wasn’t named after a politician or wealthy investor but after a young New York attorney named Charles E. Rushmore. In 1883, Rushmore was sent to the Black Hills by his employer to assess the viability of the Etta cassiterite Mine. Enamored by the granite slopes, Rushmore asked his guides for the name of the awe-inspiring slope, to which they responded that it had no name. One of his guides, Bill Challis, then suggested naming it “Rushmore Peak.”
Returning to New York, Rushmore reported the mine’s potential and the name of the mountain, which was informally used by South Dakota residents for decades before being legally adopted in 1930. Despite the mountain’s renaming, its original name holds deep significance for the Native American tribes who once called the Black Hills home.
Before settlers arrived, the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Lakota Sioux inhabited the Black Hills, considering them sacred. They referred to the mountain as “6 Grandfathers,” symbolizing ancestral deities for the six directions: North, South, East, West, sky, and earth. However, the sanctity of the land was violated during the Great Sioux War of 1876, leading to forced relocation and the annexation of sacred land.
Critics of Mount Rushmore often highlight this history, dubbing the monument the “Shrine of Hypocrisy” due to the violence and broken promises surrounding its creation. Despite its controversial past, Mount Rushmore remains a symbol of American heritage, attracting visitors from around the world.