Re-Doing Mount Rushmore

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Here's a little mental exercise for all, which four images would be selected to be placed on Mount Rushmore if the sculptures were done today?

As the link shows, the four current images on Mount Rushmore are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. (That's the order they appear from left to right, I'm not trying to rank them by listing them in that order, and in fact, the original plan did not have them in that order. Originally, Washington was planned to be placed in the middle, as Washington's "face" was intended to be featured most prominently as that section of the mountain kind of sticks out more than the rest. But after work began, it was discovered that the rock to Washington's right was unsuitable for sculpting, and so all the others were placed to the left.)

Also, as shown in the link, while the sculptures were not completed until 1941, the decsion on who would be sculpted was decided in 1927, so basically any president who was elected after that point was not considered in the design. I think all would agree that we have had many great presidents since 1927. The Republicans have had Eisenhower and Reagan, and the Democrats have had FDR and JFK.

Here's the ground rules of our little game. You can add any US president to the face of Mount Rushmore as you'd like, but for every one you add, one needs to be removed, so that you still finish with four. While you are welcome to add a president who served prior to 1927 to this list if you'd like, you're going to need a really strong arguement for it, because obviously that president was considered and decided against at the time the sculpures were decided.

The only president I think we've had since 1927 that merits inclusion is FDR. The one I would remove is the tough part. After some internal debate, I decided to replace Roosevelt with the second Roosevelt. It pains me to do so, because Teddy is my second favorite Republican president (after Lincoln) in the history of the US.

 

Replace all 4 with one giant George W head and then paint a target on his nose!

 

Aldeth, I'd agree with you, though it doesn't pain me nearly as much. FDR is probably my favorite single president of all time, as I think he led this nation better than any other, and through some of our toughest times. I also agree that he should replace the previous Roosevelt, as, great president as Teddy was, he's the weakest of the four.

I'd also consider replacing Jefferson with Reagan or JFK, though those are both much harder arguements to make.

 

It wouldn't change. Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln clearly belong. But Roosevelt was the president to set up the national park system -- that's why he's there and why he should stay.

 

I wouldn't change it either. I think the choices are as close to perfect as we can reasonably expect. FDR is the only president, in my opinion, that is on par with the originals on Mt. Rushmore. The other presidents mentioned, Reagan and JFK, while good presidents, I wouldn't place in the Pantheon.

It's too bad that Ben Franklin was never president and that there isn't a place for him there. America was his greatest invention.

 

Mt. Rushmore shouldn't change...however, it needs a twin - of the 4 *worst* presidents in US history...they can make it in North Dakota...

 

Perhaps their backsides....

 

I agree these are tough questions. It'd be easier to add a few (is there room?) than to switch some out.

Kitrax, forget North Dakota, put it in New Jersey! They can make it out of all the toxic waste!

 

Southern New Jersey is just gorgeous. The nothren part of the state is pretty trashed, but I always liked South Jersey. After my grandfather immigrated here from Germany, he bought a farm near Cape May. Since he passed away the farm is no longer in the family, but I still remember how nice it and the surrounding area was.

 

NW Jersey is nice, it's the NE areas around Newark and NYC that are bad. South Jersey has lots of great and old towns, including Haddonfield(nice), Moorestown(where alot of Philly ballplayers live). The farther south you go though, there is a lot of development of what was once swamplands and ugliness and now have thriving towns and industry. At the southern tip lies Bridgeton, which is called the "@$$hole" of NJ, for a reason to, it stinks down there.

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My Great-grandfather lived in Cape May. He passed in the early 90's. My great-aunts sold the 2 homes he had for nothing. The property and real estate in Cape are worth a fortune today. Or would bring in big rental money in the summer.

 

I don't mind Roosevelt, but I would replace him with Reagan in a heartbeat. Reagan was infinitely studlier.

However, to represent the current state of American political deadlock and lack of potency, perhaps Millard Filmore would be a good choice.

 

I wouldn't touch them, I think the 4 originally chosen are the best candidates we have. Teddy and FDR are close, but George, Abe and Tommy Boy are definitely unremovable.

 

BoV - I remember that 444 (the Garden State Parkway) went straight through his property, so if you have driven on it in that area, chances are you passed through what used to be his farm. It was just in between Stone Harbor and Sea Isle City.

Yes, but he knew next to nothing about economics. He had a lot of good one-liners about the subject though.

 

Driven that stretch alot as a young pup. South Jersey was the vacation scene back then. I split a Monte Carlo SS in half about a 1/4 mile from the exit to Wildwood on the GS Expressway when I was 21. That was probably 2 miles south of his farmland. Still have the address? I'm looking for a little recompense for getting injured on his land...

 

One more boost for FDR: he gets you your disabled quota!

Now we just need a woman and a black person worthy of Rushmore.

*looks at Palin, Clinton, and Obama*

Good luck.

 

If we're redoing it, I vote we put just one head--Andrew Jackson's--with heaps of dead Indians lying 'neath its gaze.

What?

 

Make the monument out of the residents? Wow, and I thought I was harsh!

Hey, don't bash Jackson! My mom has traced her side of the family back to Jackson. Also, to bash the man, you have to be willing to give your property up to the local Indian reservation...