My name is Jake and I have been traveling North America for the last two years. I have been just about everywhere and have learned a lot about traveling and how to get the best out of your time and money. So let me take you on this adventure to the #CrazyHorse Monument in #SouthDakota.
In my experience, not many people know that the Crazy Horse Monument exists and that it's only a 30 minute drive from Mount Rushmore. When you hear people talk about going to South Dakota, you hear them talk about #MountRushmore and the #Badlands. For me, Crazy Horse was the best thing about my South Dakota trip.
For those that don't know, Crazy Horse is an unfinished stone sculpture located in the Black Hills of a Native American leader of the Oglala Lakota Tribe named Crazy Horse. When complete, in about 80 years or so, Crazy Horse will be the largest Stone Sculpture in the world. Crazy Horse was a war leader who led his tribe to many victories over the white man who were trying to take the native land away because of the gold that was found in the hills.
The photo you see below is us standing on the very top of the monument. It costs $100.00 per person to take a trip to the top but it's considered a donation to the progress of the monument so you are able to write it off on your taxes. Otherwise it is free other than parking which is good for a whole year.
The story behind Crazy Horse is quite interesting. Back when Mount Rushmore was being constructed in 1927, Oglala Lakota Chief at the time, Sitting Bull, wanted a sculpture to represent his tribe and the history of the native land. Sitting Bull sent a letter to Gutzon Borglum (sculptor of Mount Rushmore) and asked if he could make one that represented the Native Americans after he was finished with Mount Rushmore. Borglum replied saying it wouldn't be American enough and declined. So Sitting Bull sent a letter to a rock sculptor named Korczak Ziolkowski. He said yes and dedicated his whole life to the sculpture and even his gravestone is on site.
Ziolkowski's story was highlighted within all areas of the monument. His kids still work there to this day finishing their father's legacy. They were home schooled onsite so they had more time to work on it. Ziolkowski had to come up with ways to make money because he was not paid for the project and he did it all for free. He made a tree farm business which eventually became one of the largest tree farms in the United States in that time.
When the sculpture is finished, it will be of Crazy Horse riding on his horse pointing to his land saying "My land is where my dead lie buried."
Below is a scale replica of what it will look like.
All purchases and any tour admissions go directly to finishing the monument. When I'm older, I cant wait to go back and see the progress. I would go as soon as possible because once they start working on the arm you won't be able to take the tour to the top. At night they have an interesting light display that projects onto the monument and loud speakers that tell you about the story of Crazy Horse.
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