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The Black Hills area of western South Dakota holds many man-made and natural attractions that adds up to a very appealing place to visit and explore.  To do so, we parked at the American Buffalo Resort just south of the city of Rapid City, SD.

The thing that most people know about this area is that this is where you can find Mount Rushmore National Memorial.  Gutzon Borglum was the chief sculptor who dedicated 14 years of his life to creating this massive memorial to four men who had profound impact in the history of our country.  Their vision and leadership very literally shaped how we came to be the most unique democracy in the world.  In the words of Mr. Borglum, “A monument’s dimensions should be determined by the importance to civilization of the events commemorated.”  Carving began in 1927 and was completed in 1941, just months after Borglum’s death.  The cost was just shy of $1 million, almost double the original estimate.  Nearly 3 million people from all over the world visit Mount Rushmore every year. Continue reading →