Maintaining Mount Rushmore


As you may have guessed, there is a lot of work maintaining Mount Rushmore. This does not just include the ground on which the tourists walk but the actual monument itself. Because of the fact that the monument is carved in granite, there is a big chance that it starts to crack up after some time. In 1989, the National Park Service and the Mount Rushmore Society started to study and do some research regarding the structural integrity of the monument and found out the main points of weakness. The study was also testing the sealant for cracks created by Borglum. It was made of linseed oil, white lead, and granite dust. However, it was soon discovered that this could not keep the structure safe from moisture or water.