Crazy Horse Monument, South Dakota

Today, we headed to Crazy Horse Monument for the 63rd anniversary of sculptor Korezak Ziolkowski moving to the Black Hills in 1947 to accept the invitation from Lakota leaders to carve the monument.

As you enter the gates, the carving can be seen in the distance.

Admission was waived today with a donation of canned goods.
Watch this video to see this year's anniversary blast.

The first blast ever at Crazy Horse occurred on July 3, 1948. That blast removed 10 tons of rock; today's blast removed more than 700 tons of rock.

All four of the 60-foot high heads of Mount Rushmore would fit inside of Crazy Horse's head.

Plus our heads too.

Crazy Horse's eventual dimensions...

The monument hosts over one million visitors each year.

Here is a replica of what it will look like when it is finished.
On October 20, 1982, Korezak died at 74. His wife and ten children carried on his dream. Seven of the children still work on the project.

We took a tour closer to the monument. Here is a picture of the back side.

Outside the visitor center stands The Black Hills Nature Gates featuring hundreds of animals and plants of the Black Hills.

This is the cabin the family lived in as the monument took shape. Mrs. Ziolkowski still lives here today and you can tour it while on your visit.

Mr. Ziolkowski's studio can also been seen while on your visit.

For more pictures, click here .

To be continued...