Excerpt from the report

Excerpt from the Introduction

Consideration of the Memorial's cultural resources has been minimal. Some of the tools and other equipment used during carving of the sculptures are preserved and displayed for public enjoyment. However, the Memorial's archeological potential has never been explored. Other than the general story that the Black Hills Paha Sapa (Brown 1970: 277) orHé Sápa(Howard 1972:302), were sacred to various historic Indian groups, aboriginal culture has not been considered at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

In 1938 the Memorial became a Park Service historic area. After the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Anticipatory to America's bicentennial celebration, Mount Rushmore was slated for special development. Improvements were to center on expansion of the transportation system. Construction of two staging areas (parking lots) outside the Memorial and development of mass-transit facilities to area headquarters were planned. Visitor use of the area is already at capacity, and bicentennial celebration is expected to augment current tourism. As a result, park planners believed that some means of coping with increased visitation was essential.

In conjunction with proposed construction plans, archeological survey of all areas subject to disturbance outside the Memorial was programmed. Cultural resource inventory and evaluation was also planned for Memorial lands. Because Mount Rushmore is listed on the National Register of Historic Places the effects of all proposed improvements on the area's cultural resources must be assessed (1966 National Historic Preservation Act).

However, just before the archeological survey began, Mount Rushmore was deleted as a bicentennial area and plans for development outside the Memorial were dropped. Therefore, the site survey and cultural resource evaluation were restricted to lands within the Memorial.

Due to the sensitive nature of this subject this report is available to professional archeologists only. If you order this manuscript we may contact you for verification of your profession.