Construction of Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore for the sculpture, since it seemed to be the easiest and most stable of the cliffs to work on. Having decided on the location of the sculpture, Borglum decided to make the monument of four presidents of the United States. He chose the two most famous presidents in American history, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. He chose Thomas Jefferson because Jefferson nearly doubled the size of the United States in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase (which included the land that became South Dakota). The last president Borglum chose was Theodore Roosevelt, suggested by President Calvin Coolidge (who insisted that
Mount Pilchuck State Park Mount Pilchuck State Park Mount Pilchuck State Park is a public recreation area located east of Granite Falls, Washington, on the western edges of the Cascade Mountains. The state park features of alpine scenery, recreational activities, and Mount Pilchuck itself. The main point of interest is the trail to the peak and the old fire lookout located on the summit, above sea level. The name "Pilchuck" originated from the Native American name of "red water" for a creek in the area. The U.S. Forest Service built a fire lookout on the summit in 1918 which was staffed until the 1960s.