In 1927, sculptor Gutzon Borglum began a project to carve the heads of four great American presidents into the granite of Mount Rushmore. Over the next 14 years, the 60-foot-high likenesses of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt emerged from the rock. Today, nearly 3 million people visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial each year. They come to marvel at the majestic beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and learn about the birth, growth, development, and preservation of our country. From the history of the Native American tribes who considered this sacred land, to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore is a symbol of the rich heritage that we all share.