Crazy Horse Monument

This is a slow moving project. It's all privately funded. They've turned down two offers for 10 million in government grants. It was started 61 years ago and still has a long way to go. The last time I was there it looked about the same except for all the rock removal they've done down the mountain side. The white scale model is what it will look like when it's completed. This is only about 17 miles away from Mt. Rushmore but a lot of people don't even know it exists (Nathan didn't). It started with a letter sent to Korczak Ziolkowski, who also worked on Mt. Rushmore, from Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear that said "My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes too." His carving represents Crazy Horse's answer to a question asked by a white man "where are your lands now?" His reply, "My lands are where my dead lie buried."

Gage slept the entire time we were here! Aren't those clouds crazy? It started to rain right when we were leaving. Just for an idea of how large this carving is, all four of the president's heads at Mt. Rushmore would fit in Crazy Horse's head when it's completed!