COVID-19 Message from the CEO

“God bless America, land that I love, stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with the light from above.”

Dear Friends of Mount Rushmore Society:

I have always associated Mount Rushmore with this simple, spirited song. Written by Irving Berlin during World War I, it became part of our culture with the 1938 recording by Kate Smith. It filled the airwaves during the era of carving Mount Rushmore and in a tumultuous period leading up to World War II. As a nation, I believe we are once again being challenged today.

We, the Mount Rushmore Society, stand with our partners in the National Park Service to make tough decisions as a new threat, COVID19, has swept across our country.  Mount Rushmore National Memorial remains open for viewing the sculpture. Park visitor and administrative facilities are closed. Our Bookstores are closed. The restaurant is closed. Parking in the ramp is available and you are free to visit the Memorial at this time.

Although the sculpture is accessible for viewing, people need to be wise about visitation as the crisis is far from over. We support our partners for taking this step and prioritizing the health and safety of staff and visitors. Large groups gathering on site at Mount Rushmore will negate the intent of social distancing and the need to eradicate the spread of COVID19.

The dedicated team at the Mount Rushmore Society continues to work remotely on behalf of our mission to preserve and protect Mount Rushmore. The Board of Directors has made sure we are all taken care of with no worry of loss of wages or health benefits. We are able to focus on our work and with the strong support of our donors, we will protect and preserve the legacy of Mount Rushmore for future generations. We are available by phone (605-341-8883) or email. Please be in touch if you have any questions.

Mount Rushmore will stand tall and weather this test –as will all of us.

“God bless America, my home sweet home.”
Diana Nielsen Saathoff