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Narrator: mount rushmore --
Four colossal heads
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Of some of america's
Greatest presidents
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Immortalized in granite.
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It's beyond ambitious.
It is monumental.
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Narrator: it's one of the most
Recognizable images
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On the planet,
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But today, investigators
Uncover new secrets
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Hidden inside this modern-day
Engineering wonder.
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It's kind of working on a puzzle
With half the pieces missing.
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Narrator: new evidence shows
How the epic challenge
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Of shaping a whole mountain
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Nearly defeats it's creators.
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You can't just blow everything
Up and take all the rock off.
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Narrator:
And what could destroy it?
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There are 140 fractures,
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And they're all over
The sculptures,
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Above it, below it, behind it.
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Narrator: what are the secrets
Of its construction,
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And why is america's
Most famous landmark
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Created on a mountain
In remote south dakota?
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To find out, we will blow apart
Mount rushmore
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And rebuild it to its
Astonishing, original design.
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We'll explore it's buried
Tunnels and hidden chambers...
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♪♪
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...And reveal the high-tech
Secrets concealed
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Within this mysterious
Mountaintop mega structure.
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♪♪
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South dakota...
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5,000 feet up a mountainside,
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The giant granite faces
Of george washington,
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Thomas jefferson,
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Theodore roosevelt,
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And abraham lincoln
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Stare out sternly over
The beauty of the black hills.
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Mount rushmore.
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♪♪
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But behind these familiar
Likenesses lie clues
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To what this monument
Is really for,
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Why these four men are here,
And evidence
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Of how you carve
A granite mountain
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On a scale
No one thought possible.
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It's a monumental project
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Because it hadn't been
Done before.
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♪♪
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Narrator: painstakingly carved
Into the black hills,
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Four faces,
Each towering 60 feet tall.
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♪♪
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Hollowed-out irises
Plunge 2 feet into the cliff,
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Leaving a thin pillar to appear
Like a sparkle in their eyes.
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Epic, 20-foot noses,
Each taller than three people.
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Carefully perched spectacles
12 inches thick.
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And finely crafted facial hair.
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These incredible sculptures
Total 14 years in the making.
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How do you build
Such an epic monument?
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♪♪
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It's the brainchild
Of danish-american sculptor
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Gutzon borglum.
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Historian laura pankratz
Investigates how borglum carves
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His giant masterpiece
From a solid mountain.
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She wants to know how he deals
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With the epic
Engineering challenge
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He faces at mount rushmore.
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Pankratz: gutzon was
A very ambitious person.
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He would say things like,
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"There was great
Civilizations in rome,
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Incredible monuments in egypt.
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I want this monument to be
Around for thousands of years."
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Narrator: mount rushmore's
Creator attempts a feat
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Of precision engineering
Not seen on this scale
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In the united states before.
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It was very different
To be able to remove
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A small piece of stone
In the studio
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In comparison to removing
450,000 tons of rock
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Off of a mountain,
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And one mistake,
And there's no putting it back.
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♪♪
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Narrator: gutzon borglum's
First challenge --
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To find over 400 workers
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Used to working
With rock-hard granite.
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The depression was going on,
So there wasn't a lot of work.
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There was a lot
Of unemployed miners here,
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And they were happy
To go to work for borglum.
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Narrator: mines are dotted
Right across south dakota.
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Miners here
Have years of experience
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Removing thousands
Of tons of hard rock
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In search of valuable minerals,
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Such as mica,
Natural stone, and gold.
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♪♪
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Borglum harnesses their
Pioneering mining technology
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To start transforming
A remote mountain of granite
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Into a magnificent monument.
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♪♪
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In 1927, they begin carving,
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But instead of using chisels,
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Workers use dynamite.
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♪♪
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They blast away the mountain
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To create four giant heads
Of smooth rock.
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Next, they drill 3-inch holes
All over the rock's surface
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To carve the features of
The famous faces into the rock.
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And for the finishing touches,
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They use air-powered hammers
To smooth the sculpture.
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But how can you accurately
Carve a mountain with dynamite
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While dangling
Over 50 stories high?
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♪♪
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Wayne van hout runs the milbank
Granite quarry in south dakota.
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He's an explosives expert
And granite cutter.
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Van hout: granite is
Extremely hard to work with.
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A shortcut in that
Is we can use explosives,
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But when you use explosives,
If not done right,
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I can cause damage
To the stone.
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Narrator: wayne wants
To understand how the workers
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At mount rushmore
Used dynamite so accurately.
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He experiments
With their techniques.
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He starts by testing explosives
On a reject granite block.
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We'll put one stick of dynashear
Here in each hole.
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The holes here
Are drilled random.
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♪♪
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Oh, that's how you
Break it up good.
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Of course, you don't end up
With much left when you're done.
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Narrator: how do you carve
A face using explosives
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Without causing this much
Damage to the monument?
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Here, if we make a mistake
On blasting,
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We wrecked a good block,
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And it's a financial burden.
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On mount rushmore, there,
They wreck the mountain,
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And you can't replace that.
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♪♪
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Narrator: wayne needs to blast
Off the excess wedges of granite
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From around the base
Of these large blocks.
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He needs to carefully calculate
How to direct the explosion,
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Just as the workers do
On mount rushmore.
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♪♪
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First, he cuts a series of holes
Along the line
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Where he wants
The rock to break.
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They'll each hold
A small explosive charge.
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Van hout:
We've already weakened this
Surface by drilling the holes.
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When we shoot it, the blast
Is going to follow that line,
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00:07:14,689 --> 00:07:16,620
And that will break
Right on that line,
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And we don't have to worry
About damaging
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The stone ahead of it
Or behind it.
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Narrator: if wayne
Has calculated correctly,
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Then only the uneven granite
Should be blasted off...
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[ alarm blaring ]
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...Leaving three perfect blocks.
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Here it goes.
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♪♪
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Looks great.
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Narrator: the line of drill
Holes precisely directs
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The explosive force.
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♪♪
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It removes only unwanted granite
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And leaves
The remaining rock unspoiled.
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Out here, we get to blast
Pretty much any time of the day.
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♪♪
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At mount rushmore,
They used to do it twice a day.
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The reason for that was they had
To clear the mountain
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When they did do their blasting.
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Everybody has to climb up
The ropes
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To get off the mountain.
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It must have been quite
An ordeal to get it done.
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♪♪
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Narrator:
In the hands of experts,
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The dynamite technique
Can remove rock
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To a remarkable accuracy
Of within 3 inches.
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At mount rushmore,
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This leaves behind
A rough outline of the face.
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But how do you sculpt
The final few crucial inches?
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On mount rushmore, they would
Have come in with jackhammers
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And start grinding that away
To make it smooth.
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The polished face, they call it.
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Narrator: the workers
Remove the final 3 inches
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With a technique
Called honeycombing.
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They used jackhammers to drill
A tight pattern of holes.
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This weakens the granite
And allows small pieces
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To be accurately removed
With hand tools.
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They pound the rock
To a smooth finish
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By loosening the drill bit
In their air hammers,
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A method known as bumping.
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I got a small 12x12 area done.
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Went really fast for me,
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But I'm not hanging from a rope
Off the side of a mountain
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Trying to go
Straight in with this,
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Trying to make it
All the perfect shape.
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But when you're all done,
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This is what they called
Their polished surface.
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It looks great.
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Narrator: achieving this level
Of detail at the giant scale
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Of mount rushmore
Will take 14 years.
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It's an incredibly
Complex operation.
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♪♪
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When borglum arrives
In the black hills wilderness,
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There isn't even a road here.
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To realize his epic vision,
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He needs giant infrastructure.
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A small city springs up
At the bottom of the mountain,
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Complete with new roads,
Blacksmith shops,
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And tool sheds.
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♪♪
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A steep, 760-step staircase
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And a cable car take the workers
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To the top of the mountain
Over 5,000 feet high.
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♪♪
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Winches lower the carvers
Down onto the faces,
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Dangling hundreds of feet
Above the ground.
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00:10:14,241 --> 00:10:18,034
♪♪
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Giant compressors pump air
Up the mountain
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00:10:21,413 --> 00:10:25,000
To power the pneumatic drills
And custom-made air hammers.
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00:10:25,034 --> 00:10:28,689
♪♪
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00:10:28,724 --> 00:10:31,379
Mount rushmore is the first
Project of its kind
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00:10:31,413 --> 00:10:33,655
In the united states,
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00:10:33,689 --> 00:10:36,172
So the mountain carvers
Must adapt or invent
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00:10:36,206 --> 00:10:39,896
All of the tools and techniques
They need from scratch.
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00:10:39,931 --> 00:10:42,000
Pankratz: it was a learning
Experience for them,
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00:10:42,034 --> 00:10:45,172
An experiment in how do
I hold these tools?
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00:10:45,206 --> 00:10:47,172
How do I keep them in place
217
00:10:47,206 --> 00:10:51,068
As I'm suspended
Over the side of the mountain?
218
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Narrator: workers move around
The cliff face
219
00:10:52,827 --> 00:10:55,862
In a special harness
Called a bosun's seat.
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It's used on sailing ships
221
00:10:57,379 --> 00:11:00,172
So sailors can safely
Reach the rigging.
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00:11:00,206 --> 00:11:03,724
Pankratz: gutzon borglum adapted
And adjusted the bosun's seat
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00:11:03,758 --> 00:11:05,689
For use on the mountain.
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00:11:05,724 --> 00:11:07,103
He had to invent tools.
225
00:11:07,137 --> 00:11:09,862
He had to make tools better.
226
00:11:09,896 --> 00:11:13,448
He was ingenious
In all of those areas.
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00:11:13,482 --> 00:11:16,655
Narrator:
Hundreds of specialists
Are recruited and trained,
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00:11:16,689 --> 00:11:18,586
From powder men and blacksmiths
229
00:11:18,620 --> 00:11:21,689
To winch men and call boys.
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00:11:21,724 --> 00:11:25,206
It was very noisy where
The winches were running,
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And they couldn't see the men
Over the side of the mountain,
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00:11:28,241 --> 00:11:31,655
So gutzon had a caller
On the top,
233
00:11:31,689 --> 00:11:33,689
Who would see where
The men had to go
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00:11:33,724 --> 00:11:36,689
And let the winches know
What they need to do
235
00:11:36,724 --> 00:11:38,827
When they needed to do it.
236
00:11:38,862 --> 00:11:42,448
Amazingly, in the 14 years,
They had zero casualties.
237
00:11:42,482 --> 00:11:45,551
♪♪
238
00:11:45,586 --> 00:11:48,379
Narrator: but the mega project
Creates constant challenges
239
00:11:48,413 --> 00:11:52,896
That force gutzon borglum
To change his plans.
240
00:11:52,931 --> 00:11:56,103
Today, investigators unearth
The unexpected problems
241
00:11:56,137 --> 00:11:59,931
He finds hidden
Within the mountain itself.
242
00:11:59,965 --> 00:12:01,655
How does its natural geology
243
00:12:01,689 --> 00:12:05,206
Affect the design of the icon
We know today?
244
00:12:14,172 --> 00:12:16,620
Narrator:
Mount rushmore, south dakota.
245
00:12:16,655 --> 00:12:21,241
♪♪
246
00:12:21,275 --> 00:12:24,448
Today, it's a famous icon,
247
00:12:24,482 --> 00:12:27,655
But this isn't how
Its creator designs it.
248
00:12:27,689 --> 00:12:30,482
Now researchers are examining
Why gutzon borglum
249
00:12:30,517 --> 00:12:33,655
Radically transforms
His original vision.
250
00:12:33,689 --> 00:12:38,517
It's kind of working on a puzzle
With half the pieces missing.
251
00:12:38,551 --> 00:12:40,137
Narrator: he starts out
Trying to make something
252
00:12:40,172 --> 00:12:42,551
That looks very different.
253
00:12:42,586 --> 00:12:45,620
He plans four busts
254
00:12:45,655 --> 00:12:49,103
With jefferson
On washington's right
255
00:12:49,137 --> 00:12:53,689
And lincoln nestled
Behind his left shoulder,
256
00:12:53,724 --> 00:12:56,344
All carved right down
To their waists.
257
00:12:56,379 --> 00:12:59,137
♪♪
258
00:12:59,172 --> 00:13:05,137
This layout leaves space
For a giant tablet 120 feet high
259
00:13:05,172 --> 00:13:08,310
In the shape of
The louisiana purchase.
260
00:13:08,344 --> 00:13:10,689
It documents key dates
In american history
261
00:13:10,724 --> 00:13:14,275
In 3-foot-tall gilded writing.
262
00:13:14,310 --> 00:13:16,241
So why is mount rushmore today
263
00:13:16,275 --> 00:13:18,344
So different
From the original plan?
264
00:13:18,379 --> 00:13:21,793
♪♪
265
00:13:21,827 --> 00:13:27,034
Mark fahrenbach is a geologist
For the state of south dakota.
266
00:13:27,068 --> 00:13:28,655
Fahrenbach:
As we can see, most of it
267
00:13:28,689 --> 00:13:33,517
Is the whitish-colored
Harney peak granite.
268
00:13:33,551 --> 00:13:37,448
Narrator:
Mark investigates and maps
The complex geology of this area
269
00:13:37,482 --> 00:13:41,000
By studying the surface rock.
270
00:13:41,034 --> 00:13:44,172
He wants to know how mount
Rushmore's internal structure
271
00:13:44,206 --> 00:13:46,931
Forces its creator
To change his design.
272
00:13:46,965 --> 00:13:49,310
Fahrenbach: as you get in,
There could be little pockets
273
00:13:49,344 --> 00:13:53,551
And seams and veins where
You have different rock types.
274
00:13:53,586 --> 00:13:58,034
Gutzon borglum was looking for
Rock that had fairly fine grain,
275
00:13:58,068 --> 00:14:00,551
And the grain size
In the harney peak granite
276
00:14:00,586 --> 00:14:03,896
Ranges quite a bit
From just small, little grains
277
00:14:03,931 --> 00:14:05,931
Maybe a centimeter
278
00:14:05,965 --> 00:14:09,172
To large crystals
5, 10 feet across.
279
00:14:09,206 --> 00:14:11,620
♪♪
280
00:14:11,655 --> 00:14:14,689
Narrator:
Borglum needs rock made up
Of smaller mineral crystals
281
00:14:14,724 --> 00:14:17,413
Because they have
A stronger structure.
282
00:14:17,448 --> 00:14:21,896
It lasts far longer and will
Give his faces a realistic look.
283
00:14:21,931 --> 00:14:25,172
The crystal size is determined
Deep in the earth's history.
284
00:14:25,206 --> 00:14:28,551
♪♪
285
00:14:28,586 --> 00:14:32,034
1.7 billion years ago,
The black hills area
286
00:14:32,068 --> 00:14:35,068
Is made up of layers
Of soft, sedimentary rock,
287
00:14:35,103 --> 00:14:37,896
With molten magma
Forming deep within the earth.
288
00:14:37,931 --> 00:14:40,310
♪♪
289
00:14:40,344 --> 00:14:43,413
The magma pushes up between
The layers of soft rock
290
00:14:43,448 --> 00:14:47,413
And cools quickly, solidifying
Into smooth, hard granite.
291
00:14:47,448 --> 00:14:50,551
♪♪
292
00:14:50,586 --> 00:14:53,931
Over time, cracks in the granite
Fill with more magma,
293
00:14:53,965 --> 00:14:56,103
Cooling slowly, leaving behind
294
00:14:56,137 --> 00:14:58,551
Crystalline streaks
In the smooth rock.
295
00:14:58,586 --> 00:15:01,586
♪♪
296
00:15:01,620 --> 00:15:04,379
The surrounding softer rock
Wears away,
297
00:15:04,413 --> 00:15:06,827
Exposing the streaked
Slab of granite
298
00:15:06,862 --> 00:15:08,793
That borglum begins to carve.
299
00:15:08,827 --> 00:15:13,000
♪♪
300
00:15:13,034 --> 00:15:15,206
How does the earth's
Geological past
301
00:15:15,241 --> 00:15:19,172
Force borglum to change the
Final design of mount rushmore?
302
00:15:19,206 --> 00:15:22,931
Mark investigates these early
Templates for the monument.
303
00:15:22,965 --> 00:15:26,862
He compares them with photos
Of the construction in progress.
304
00:15:26,896 --> 00:15:30,034
He wants to see if he can
Find clues in the rock structure
305
00:15:30,068 --> 00:15:32,034
That explain why rushmore today
306
00:15:32,068 --> 00:15:36,172
Looks completely different
From these original models.
307
00:15:36,206 --> 00:15:37,551
Four years into the work,
308
00:15:37,586 --> 00:15:40,827
They have an almost
Complete george washington,
309
00:15:40,862 --> 00:15:44,413
But then they move on
To thomas jefferson.
310
00:15:44,448 --> 00:15:46,586
Fahrenbach: this photo shows
Where they were preparing
311
00:15:46,620 --> 00:15:50,517
To put thomas jefferson.
And in the model over here,
312
00:15:50,551 --> 00:15:54,551
Thomas jefferson is to the right
Of george washington.
313
00:15:54,586 --> 00:15:57,103
You can see
Part of the eye developing
314
00:15:57,137 --> 00:16:00,000
And the nose developing.
315
00:16:00,034 --> 00:16:02,448
Narrator: but after two years
Of backbreaking work,
316
00:16:02,482 --> 00:16:04,551
They hit a problem.
317
00:16:04,586 --> 00:16:07,103
It looks like
As he was carving that,
318
00:16:07,137 --> 00:16:09,517
He got into some bad rock there
319
00:16:09,551 --> 00:16:13,344
That was too coarse-grain
Or just unstable.
320
00:16:13,379 --> 00:16:16,344
Narrator:
The slower-cooled large crystals
He finds in the granite here
321
00:16:16,379 --> 00:16:19,206
Are difficult
To carve accurately.
322
00:16:19,241 --> 00:16:21,551
If they continue, and the rock
Doesn't improve
323
00:16:21,586 --> 00:16:23,034
Further into the mountain,
324
00:16:23,068 --> 00:16:25,758
They won't be able
To complete jefferson's face.
325
00:16:25,793 --> 00:16:28,310
It's very frustrating
For gutzon borglum.
326
00:16:28,344 --> 00:16:30,103
He'd prepare an area.
327
00:16:30,137 --> 00:16:31,379
You're digging in there,
328
00:16:31,413 --> 00:16:34,655
But your rock's not
Getting any better.
329
00:16:34,689 --> 00:16:36,965
If the rock won't support
The sculpture,
330
00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,551
No matter how much
He wants to put it there,
331
00:16:39,586 --> 00:16:41,413
It's not going to happen.
332
00:16:41,448 --> 00:16:44,068
Narrator: borglum orders
Two years' work on jefferson
333
00:16:44,103 --> 00:16:45,896
To be dynamited
Off the mountain.
334
00:16:45,931 --> 00:16:48,206
[ explosion ]
335
00:16:50,896 --> 00:16:55,103
He goes back to the studio
To rethink.
336
00:16:55,137 --> 00:16:57,448
He eventually decides
To move jefferson's head
337
00:16:57,482 --> 00:16:59,517
To a new position.
338
00:16:59,551 --> 00:17:01,896
But when he starts work,
Borglum discovers
339
00:17:01,931 --> 00:17:04,241
Another potentially
Catastrophic surprise
340
00:17:04,275 --> 00:17:06,620
In mount rushmore's
Hidden geology.
341
00:17:06,655 --> 00:17:08,275
Fahrenbach: it looks like
There's coarser grain
342
00:17:08,310 --> 00:17:11,103
Running right through his nose.
343
00:17:11,137 --> 00:17:12,896
Narrator: larger crystals
And the coarse grain
344
00:17:12,931 --> 00:17:16,793
Will weather away more quickly
And leave a scar down his nose,
345
00:17:16,827 --> 00:17:19,655
Wrecking the whole monument.
346
00:17:19,689 --> 00:17:21,586
The differences
With the mountain today
347
00:17:21,620 --> 00:17:24,724
Reveal the ingenious solution.
348
00:17:24,758 --> 00:17:27,000
Fahrenbach: if you compare
To the earlier model,
349
00:17:27,034 --> 00:17:30,172
The expression on the mouth
Has changed a little bit.
350
00:17:30,206 --> 00:17:32,551
The eyes have changed
A little bit.
351
00:17:32,586 --> 00:17:35,655
♪♪
352
00:17:35,689 --> 00:17:38,965
Gutzon borglum changes
The orientation
353
00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:43,413
Of thomas jefferson's face
From looking almost straight out
354
00:17:43,448 --> 00:17:45,896
To looking a little bit
To the left.
355
00:17:45,931 --> 00:17:48,034
And by doing this,
He was able to shift
356
00:17:48,068 --> 00:17:51,068
The position of that
Coarser-grained granite dike
357
00:17:51,103 --> 00:17:55,793
To kind of going down behind
The nose and onto the face.
358
00:17:55,827 --> 00:17:58,034
♪♪
359
00:17:58,068 --> 00:17:59,689
Narrator:
Each tiny change of plan
360
00:17:59,724 --> 00:18:03,206
Takes months of work
To complete.
361
00:18:03,241 --> 00:18:05,862
Finally, the order
Of the presidents is settled.
362
00:18:05,896 --> 00:18:07,896
But there's no room
For the giant tablet
363
00:18:07,931 --> 00:18:11,103
Of the louisiana purchase.
364
00:18:11,137 --> 00:18:13,793
Now he needs to tackle the
Presidents' elaborate clothing
365
00:18:13,827 --> 00:18:16,620
And upper bodies,
As on the final model.
366
00:18:16,655 --> 00:18:20,724
In a photo of mount rushmore
From before the carving begins,
367
00:18:20,758 --> 00:18:23,586
Mark finds evidence
Of more problems.
368
00:18:23,620 --> 00:18:26,620
Fahrenbach:
Right in the place where
They put george washington,
369
00:18:26,655 --> 00:18:30,655
You can see a dark band,
And that is mica schist.
370
00:18:30,689 --> 00:18:33,793
Narrator: mica schist is a much
Weaker rock than granite.
371
00:18:33,827 --> 00:18:38,137
It can easily split during
Carving and weaken the monument.
372
00:18:38,172 --> 00:18:40,517
Fahrenbach: george washington
Does have lapels,
373
00:18:40,551 --> 00:18:43,034
But as you go
Halfway down the chest,
374
00:18:43,068 --> 00:18:45,000
That's where he had to stop.
375
00:18:45,034 --> 00:18:46,793
He couldn't carve into
The mica schist,
376
00:18:46,827 --> 00:18:49,241
Because that weathers
Very easily,
377
00:18:49,275 --> 00:18:51,551
And it's not strong.
378
00:18:51,586 --> 00:18:53,793
Narrator: most of this
Mica schist is now hidden
379
00:18:53,827 --> 00:18:55,758
By the thousands
Of tons of debris
380
00:18:55,793 --> 00:18:58,965
Removed from the mountain above.
381
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,482
The presidents' completed faces
On mount rushmore
382
00:19:01,517 --> 00:19:05,206
Do look almost identical
To this final clay template.
383
00:19:05,241 --> 00:19:08,586
♪♪
384
00:19:08,620 --> 00:19:11,586
How do stonemasons transfer
The precise contours
385
00:19:11,620 --> 00:19:13,275
Of the ever-changing models
386
00:19:13,310 --> 00:19:16,413
Without modern-day
Laser scanners?
387
00:19:16,448 --> 00:19:19,137
Clues lie in another
Mysterious mountain carving
388
00:19:19,172 --> 00:19:22,000
Emerging from
The black hills granite today.
389
00:19:30,896 --> 00:19:34,068
Narrator: mount rushmore,
A giant granite monument
390
00:19:34,103 --> 00:19:37,310
Of four iconic u.S. Presidents.
391
00:19:37,344 --> 00:19:39,172
To build it,
Its creator first makes
392
00:19:39,206 --> 00:19:41,758
A finely crafted clay model.
393
00:19:41,793 --> 00:19:44,586
But how do the workers
Translate this artwork
394
00:19:44,620 --> 00:19:47,034
Into a colossal piece
Of engineering?
395
00:19:47,068 --> 00:19:50,620
♪♪
396
00:19:50,655 --> 00:19:53,344
9 miles southwest
Of mount rushmore,
397
00:19:53,379 --> 00:19:57,655
Another giant monument is slowly
Emerging from the mountainside,
398
00:19:57,689 --> 00:20:00,206
Built using
The exact same methods.
399
00:20:00,241 --> 00:20:04,206
♪♪
400
00:20:04,241 --> 00:20:08,310
The face of the native american
Warrior crazy horse
401
00:20:08,344 --> 00:20:13,034
Towers 30 feet taller
Than the faces on rushmore.
402
00:20:13,068 --> 00:20:15,379
It's been in the making
For 70 years,
403
00:20:15,413 --> 00:20:18,896
But it's far from complete.
404
00:20:18,931 --> 00:20:22,206
His flowing locks will take
Another 10 years,
405
00:20:22,241 --> 00:20:26,517
And his body will be carved from
Over 10 million tons of granite,
406
00:20:26,551 --> 00:20:31,448
Revealing the warrior
Pointing his 227-foot-long arm
407
00:20:31,482 --> 00:20:33,827
As he rides his horse.
408
00:20:33,862 --> 00:20:38,068
When finished, it will be the
Biggest sculpture in the world.
409
00:20:38,103 --> 00:20:39,689
But how do you scale up a model
410
00:20:39,724 --> 00:20:42,379
Into a sculpture
The size of a mountain?
411
00:20:42,413 --> 00:20:47,758
♪♪
412
00:20:47,793 --> 00:20:51,551
In 1948, one of the original
Carvers of mount rushmore,
413
00:20:51,586 --> 00:20:54,655
Korczak ziolkowski,
Starts the crazy horse project
414
00:20:54,689 --> 00:20:57,620
Using the techniques
He learns there.
415
00:20:57,655 --> 00:21:01,034
Monique: dad was assistant
Sculptor for a year to gutzon,
416
00:21:01,068 --> 00:21:04,068
And if it weren't for
Mount rushmore being carved,
417
00:21:04,103 --> 00:21:07,172
Dad never would have been able
To start this mountain carving.
418
00:21:07,206 --> 00:21:09,517
Narrator: now his daughter,
Monique ziolkowski,
419
00:21:09,551 --> 00:21:13,448
Continues her father's
Colossal creation.
420
00:21:13,482 --> 00:21:14,724
Monique: in 1948,
421
00:21:14,758 --> 00:21:17,655
The first blast on the mountain
Was set off,
422
00:21:17,689 --> 00:21:22,310
And we've been here
For 70 years.
423
00:21:22,344 --> 00:21:24,310
Narrator: mountain-carver
Monique still works
424
00:21:24,344 --> 00:21:27,000
From her father's scale models.
425
00:21:27,034 --> 00:21:30,827
Just like rushmore's creators,
She uses a pointing machine,
426
00:21:30,862 --> 00:21:32,931
An ingenious
Ancient-greek device,
427
00:21:32,965 --> 00:21:35,310
To map the scale model
Onto the mountain.
428
00:21:35,344 --> 00:21:37,379
Monique:
This is our 1/34th scale model,
429
00:21:37,413 --> 00:21:40,241
So 1 inch here equals 34 inches
430
00:21:40,275 --> 00:21:43,344
Up on crazy horse's head.
431
00:21:43,379 --> 00:21:45,413
Narrator: the first step is
To get an accurate measurement
432
00:21:45,448 --> 00:21:46,655
Of each point on the model
433
00:21:46,689 --> 00:21:49,931
From a fixed spot
The machine pivots around.
434
00:21:49,965 --> 00:21:51,620
Monique:
So x, y, z coordinates,
435
00:21:51,655 --> 00:21:55,724
And there's been 10,000 of those
Taken on crazy horse's face.
436
00:21:55,758 --> 00:21:57,896
It's a labor of love.
437
00:21:57,931 --> 00:22:00,482
Narrator: the carving team high
Up on the mountain translates
438
00:22:00,517 --> 00:22:03,551
The measurement of the model
Onto the rock's surface.
439
00:22:03,586 --> 00:22:05,482
To do this, they use
Scaled-up versions
440
00:22:05,517 --> 00:22:06,931
Of the pointing machine.
441
00:22:06,965 --> 00:22:10,724
Right now, we're going to do
The outline of the fingernail.
442
00:22:10,758 --> 00:22:12,965
Once we establish where
This pivot point is
443
00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,172
For carving this area on
The mountain, we won't move it,
444
00:22:16,206 --> 00:22:19,551
So it stays accurate
Because it stays put.
445
00:22:19,586 --> 00:22:23,206
Narrator:
First, they match the measured
Angle from the pivot point.
446
00:22:23,241 --> 00:22:26,655
Monique:
Where jesse is now, when he
Turns the pointing machine out
447
00:22:26,689 --> 00:22:29,655
To go alongside
Crazy horse's finger,
448
00:22:29,689 --> 00:22:32,068
Those are east-and-west degrees.
449
00:22:32,103 --> 00:22:35,620
Narrator:
Then they move the plumb bob
Horizontally along the crane arm
450
00:22:35,655 --> 00:22:37,931
Before dropping it down
To the rock.
451
00:22:37,965 --> 00:22:39,620
The compare the distance
It falls
452
00:22:39,655 --> 00:22:41,586
With the model measurement.
453
00:22:41,620 --> 00:22:43,172
Those measurements tells us
454
00:22:43,206 --> 00:22:47,931
How much rock we have to move
To get down to finished grade.
455
00:22:47,965 --> 00:22:52,241
Narrator:
Any mistakes in the calculation
Could ruin 70 years of work,
456
00:22:52,275 --> 00:22:56,379
So they need to be certain
Before they begin removing rock.
457
00:22:56,413 --> 00:22:59,344
When you're pointing, you
Measure way more than one time
458
00:22:59,379 --> 00:23:01,172
To get to finished grade,
459
00:23:01,206 --> 00:23:04,172
So there's a lot of checks.
460
00:23:04,206 --> 00:23:08,241
Narrator:
Crazy horse's image emerges
Inch by inch from the mountain.
461
00:23:08,275 --> 00:23:11,724
But why is this native american
Hero being carved here?
462
00:23:11,758 --> 00:23:15,724
♪♪
463
00:23:15,758 --> 00:23:19,931
The black hills belong to the
Native american lakota people,
464
00:23:19,965 --> 00:23:23,034
Which the u.S. Government
Recognizes in 1868
465
00:23:23,068 --> 00:23:24,620
In an official treaty.
466
00:23:24,655 --> 00:23:26,896
♪♪
467
00:23:26,931 --> 00:23:31,000
But in 1874, the gold rush
Takes over the black hills
468
00:23:31,034 --> 00:23:33,793
And forces the native americans
Off their land.
469
00:23:33,827 --> 00:23:37,103
♪♪
470
00:23:37,137 --> 00:23:39,379
Crazy horse, a lakota chief,
471
00:23:39,413 --> 00:23:42,965
Goes to war to win back
The sacred hills.
472
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,586
But despite his bravery,
The lands are lost.
473
00:23:47,620 --> 00:23:50,689
In 1931, demands to put
Crazy horse
474
00:23:50,724 --> 00:23:53,068
Onto mount rushmore
Are rebuffed,
475
00:23:53,103 --> 00:23:56,275
So native americans plan
Their own monument in his honor.
476
00:23:56,310 --> 00:23:59,620
♪♪
477
00:23:59,655 --> 00:24:01,448
Monique: the carving
Of mount rushmore, I'm sure,
478
00:24:01,482 --> 00:24:04,379
Hurt the native american people.
479
00:24:04,413 --> 00:24:06,344
And if they're going
To carve a mountain
480
00:24:06,379 --> 00:24:08,827
To quite a few white people,
481
00:24:08,862 --> 00:24:12,000
Then perhaps they should carve
A mountain the black hills
482
00:24:12,034 --> 00:24:14,482
To a native person.
483
00:24:14,517 --> 00:24:17,103
Narrator: the crazy horse
Carvers use public donations
484
00:24:17,137 --> 00:24:19,172
To complete a monument
That will eventually be
485
00:24:19,206 --> 00:24:24,482
Over 10 times the size of
The carving on mount rushmore.
486
00:24:24,517 --> 00:24:28,103
Dad felt if the interested
Public wanted to help carve
487
00:24:28,137 --> 00:24:31,862
This mountain, that they would,
And they have all these years.
488
00:24:31,896 --> 00:24:34,241
♪♪
489
00:24:34,275 --> 00:24:36,344
Narrator:
It's painstaking work.
490
00:24:36,379 --> 00:24:39,310
Monique: the rock was 8 feet
Above crazy horse's finger
491
00:24:39,344 --> 00:24:41,517
And came straight across,
492
00:24:41,551 --> 00:24:46,172
And all of this rock has been
Moved in the last five years.
493
00:24:46,206 --> 00:24:50,137
Narrator:
To improve speed and accuracy,
Monique now adds modern methods
494
00:24:50,172 --> 00:24:54,000
To the traditional techniques
Pioneered on mount rushmore.
495
00:24:54,034 --> 00:24:56,448
They adapt the latest
Diamond-tipped cable saws
496
00:24:56,482 --> 00:24:59,000
From the quarrying industry.
497
00:24:59,034 --> 00:25:01,413
Monique: there's not as much
Vibration on the rock
498
00:25:01,448 --> 00:25:03,068
As you drill
And drill and drill.
499
00:25:03,103 --> 00:25:04,551
And it's very accurate.
500
00:25:04,586 --> 00:25:06,655
And you can
Make some pretty nice shapes
501
00:25:06,689 --> 00:25:08,103
And put it in places
502
00:25:08,137 --> 00:25:11,689
Where you maybe
Couldn't reach with your drills.
503
00:25:11,724 --> 00:25:13,241
Narrator:
They complete the final finish
504
00:25:13,275 --> 00:25:16,379
With an
Extremely-high-temperature torch
505
00:25:16,413 --> 00:25:20,517
That flakes the final
Few millimeters of rock away.
506
00:25:20,551 --> 00:25:23,689
This is what the rock looks like
After it's been torched.
507
00:25:23,724 --> 00:25:26,103
It's that same finish
As crazy horse's face,
508
00:25:26,137 --> 00:25:29,620
And this is the tip
Of crazy horse's finger.
509
00:25:29,655 --> 00:25:31,965
That is this right here.
510
00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,482
♪♪
511
00:25:34,517 --> 00:25:39,862
Narrator:
Crazy horse could eventually
Take 2 centuries to complete,
512
00:25:39,896 --> 00:25:44,241
Compared to
Mount rushmore's 14 years.
513
00:25:44,275 --> 00:25:47,413
Monique:
You can't just blow everything
Up and take all the rock off.
514
00:25:47,448 --> 00:25:49,827
There's a lot more that goes
To carving a mountain than that.
515
00:25:49,862 --> 00:25:53,758
So as long as we keep making
Good, steady, and safe progress,
516
00:25:53,793 --> 00:25:57,241
Then that's what matters.
517
00:25:57,275 --> 00:26:01,137
Narrator: crazy horse and mount
Rushmore are vast monuments
518
00:26:01,172 --> 00:26:04,724
Designed to amaze
For generations to come.
519
00:26:04,758 --> 00:26:07,413
But inside mount rushmore
Are secret chambers
520
00:26:07,448 --> 00:26:09,482
And buried caskets.
521
00:26:09,517 --> 00:26:12,517
What can they reveal about
This iconic monument's message
522
00:26:12,551 --> 00:26:14,724
To people far in the future?
523
00:26:21,827 --> 00:26:24,103
♪♪
524
00:26:24,137 --> 00:26:26,034
Narrator: mount rushmore --
525
00:26:26,068 --> 00:26:29,655
One of the most recognizable
Images on the planet.
526
00:26:29,689 --> 00:26:32,275
But is it simply
A colossal structure,
527
00:26:32,310 --> 00:26:34,827
Or does it have another purpose?
528
00:26:34,862 --> 00:26:37,413
Clues are hidden
Inside the mountain.
529
00:26:37,448 --> 00:26:41,000
♪♪
530
00:26:41,034 --> 00:26:47,103
Behind abraham lincoln's head
Lies a secret tunnel
531
00:26:47,137 --> 00:26:50,724
Extending 70 feet deep
Into the rock
532
00:26:50,758 --> 00:26:53,103
Until it hits a dead end.
533
00:26:53,137 --> 00:26:56,793
But at the tunnel's mouth,
A 1,200-pound granite capstone
534
00:26:56,827 --> 00:26:59,482
Seals an underground chamber.
535
00:26:59,517 --> 00:27:03,689
Inside, a titanium vault
536
00:27:03,724 --> 00:27:06,620
That contains
A long teak casket.
537
00:27:06,655 --> 00:27:08,620
♪♪
538
00:27:08,655 --> 00:27:10,655
And carefully stacked inside,
539
00:27:10,689 --> 00:27:15,000
16 super-thin enamel panels.
540
00:27:15,034 --> 00:27:19,379
Why are these mysterious tablets
Hidden inside mount rushmore,
541
00:27:19,413 --> 00:27:22,310
And why is there a tunnel
That seems to lead nowhere?
542
00:27:22,344 --> 00:27:25,103
♪♪
543
00:27:25,137 --> 00:27:27,344
In washington's
Library of congress,
544
00:27:27,379 --> 00:27:32,413
Architectural historian paula
Reed hunts for an explanation.
545
00:27:32,448 --> 00:27:33,931
There are thousands of documents
546
00:27:33,965 --> 00:27:35,862
Detailing mount rushmore's
Evolution
547
00:27:35,896 --> 00:27:39,275
Among the personal papers
Of its creator,
548
00:27:39,310 --> 00:27:40,482
Gutzon borglum.
549
00:27:40,517 --> 00:27:41,931
Reed:
There's a lot of correspondence,
550
00:27:41,965 --> 00:27:43,931
Dealing with congress
To get funding.
551
00:27:43,965 --> 00:27:46,344
A lot of the funds were matched
With private funds,
552
00:27:46,379 --> 00:27:48,793
So there was also going out
553
00:27:48,827 --> 00:27:51,793
And beating the bushes
For private donors,
554
00:27:51,827 --> 00:27:55,586
So funding was a problem
From the beginning.
555
00:27:55,620 --> 00:28:01,206
Narrator: the monument is
Initially budgeted at $250,000,
556
00:28:01,241 --> 00:28:04,448
But costs rocket
To nearly $1 million.
557
00:28:04,482 --> 00:28:05,793
Reed:
They kept running out of money.
558
00:28:05,827 --> 00:28:07,827
And there would be
An appropriation,
559
00:28:07,862 --> 00:28:10,103
And it would get spent,
And then work would stop,
560
00:28:10,137 --> 00:28:13,896
And then there would be
Another appropriation.
561
00:28:13,931 --> 00:28:19,310
Bair: and here we have records
That were kept in 1939 and 1940.
562
00:28:19,344 --> 00:28:21,310
Narrator: paula works
With the collection's historian,
563
00:28:21,344 --> 00:28:23,172
Barbara bair, to investigate
564
00:28:23,206 --> 00:28:25,931
Why the project
Keeps running out of money.
565
00:28:25,965 --> 00:28:30,620
Gutzon borglum did
Change his mind a good bit,
566
00:28:30,655 --> 00:28:33,241
And things evolved.
567
00:28:33,275 --> 00:28:36,965
Narrator:
Gutzon borglum's vision of
Mount rushmore keeps expanding.
568
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,172
They're searching out evidence
569
00:28:38,206 --> 00:28:41,689
For his most audacious
And expensive plan.
570
00:28:41,724 --> 00:28:44,862
So, these are
Oversize items.
571
00:28:44,896 --> 00:28:47,413
Original blueprints
Reveal detailed designs
572
00:28:47,448 --> 00:28:50,965
For a complex around
The finished monument.
573
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,655
Reed: part of the proposal
Of gutzon borglum
574
00:28:53,689 --> 00:28:58,241
Was to have this grand staircase
That would allow visitors
575
00:28:58,275 --> 00:29:01,827
To climb all the way up
Behind the heads.
576
00:29:01,862 --> 00:29:02,965
Narrator:
The staircase leads
577
00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,724
To the majestically titled
Hall of records.
578
00:29:06,758 --> 00:29:09,586
Borglum describes a chamber
Hidden within the mountain
579
00:29:09,620 --> 00:29:12,206
That explains
Mount rushmore's purpose
580
00:29:12,241 --> 00:29:16,137
And houses a depository of
The country's most sacred texts.
581
00:29:16,172 --> 00:29:18,931
It would have copies
Of important documents
582
00:29:18,965 --> 00:29:20,620
Like the declaration
Of independence,
583
00:29:20,655 --> 00:29:23,896
The constitution,
And an explanation
584
00:29:23,931 --> 00:29:28,379
Of who the heads were and why
They were on that mountain.
585
00:29:28,413 --> 00:29:30,482
But could the chamber
Hold more than just
586
00:29:30,517 --> 00:29:33,103
An explanation
Of the mountain carving?
587
00:29:33,137 --> 00:29:35,413
Gutzon borglum reveals
His master plan
588
00:29:35,448 --> 00:29:39,413
For the hall of records in
His unpublished personal memoir.
589
00:29:39,448 --> 00:29:40,724
It's an interesting thing
590
00:29:40,758 --> 00:29:43,655
That is another argument
About the larger plan.
591
00:29:43,689 --> 00:29:46,827
And that's borglum's handwriting
Where he was editing himself.
592
00:29:46,862 --> 00:29:50,586
♪♪
593
00:29:50,620 --> 00:29:54,034
Borglum plans a grand hall
80 by 100 feet
594
00:29:54,068 --> 00:29:57,310
Drilled behind the faces,
595
00:29:57,344 --> 00:30:02,000
With an 800-foot-high granite
Stairway climbing up to it.
596
00:30:02,034 --> 00:30:03,724
At the chamber's grand entrance,
597
00:30:03,758 --> 00:30:07,000
A bronze eagle with wings
Spanning 38 feet
598
00:30:07,034 --> 00:30:09,517
Sits above huge glass doors.
599
00:30:09,551 --> 00:30:12,724
♪♪
600
00:30:12,758 --> 00:30:16,137
Inside, bronze and glass
Cabinets line the walls,
601
00:30:16,172 --> 00:30:18,103
Showcasing historical documents
602
00:30:18,137 --> 00:30:20,275
Like the declaration
Of independence.
603
00:30:20,310 --> 00:30:24,482
♪♪
604
00:30:24,517 --> 00:30:27,896
Busts of famous americans
Decorate the hall,
605
00:30:27,931 --> 00:30:29,827
And the nation's contributions
To the world
606
00:30:29,862 --> 00:30:32,137
Are inscribed on the walls.
607
00:30:32,172 --> 00:30:35,551
♪♪
608
00:30:35,586 --> 00:30:38,586
Gutzon borglum wants to secure
Mount rushmore's place
609
00:30:38,620 --> 00:30:41,034
Among history's
Greatest monuments
610
00:30:41,068 --> 00:30:43,000
And idolize
America's achievements
611
00:30:43,034 --> 00:30:46,517
For any future civilization
Discovering it.
612
00:30:46,551 --> 00:30:50,172
Borglum was so attracted
To these kind of ideas
613
00:30:50,206 --> 00:30:54,689
Of colossal shrines
Like the pyramids.
614
00:30:54,724 --> 00:30:58,965
You see from the outside
This very monumental structure,
615
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,827
But if you go in the inside,
There's this secret chamber
616
00:31:01,862 --> 00:31:04,448
That tell us the story
Of that time period.
617
00:31:04,482 --> 00:31:06,965
♪♪
618
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,275
The records show
That he persuades congress
619
00:31:09,310 --> 00:31:11,000
To grant $50,000
620
00:31:11,034 --> 00:31:14,724
For the construction
Of the hall of records.
621
00:31:14,758 --> 00:31:18,448
In 1938, workers start blasting
The cavity for the hall
622
00:31:18,482 --> 00:31:21,931
Out of the mountain.
623
00:31:21,965 --> 00:31:26,551
But the approach of world war ii
Forces a halt.
624
00:31:26,586 --> 00:31:28,965
Congress said, "We need
This money for the war efforts,
625
00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:33,172
So we're done here. Don't worry
About the hall of records.
626
00:31:33,206 --> 00:31:35,275
Don't worry about
The grand staircase.
627
00:31:35,310 --> 00:31:37,379
Just get the heads done."
628
00:31:37,413 --> 00:31:39,517
Narrator:
The heads are swiftly completed,
629
00:31:39,551 --> 00:31:43,482
And work on the monument
Stops in october 1941.
630
00:31:43,517 --> 00:31:46,068
Reed: the hall of records,
Which had been started,
631
00:31:46,103 --> 00:31:50,172
Is still left there
In its unfinished state.
632
00:31:50,206 --> 00:31:52,206
Narrator: the half-completed
Hall of records
633
00:31:52,241 --> 00:31:56,000
Still shows the tool marks
Of the halted construction.
634
00:31:56,034 --> 00:31:59,482
But in 1998,
Gutzon borglum's daughter buries
635
00:31:59,517 --> 00:32:04,034
The 16 enamel tablets
In the entrance to the chamber.
636
00:32:04,068 --> 00:32:07,379
This time capsule contains
A history of the united states
637
00:32:07,413 --> 00:32:11,586
And biographies of the four
Presidents and gutzon borglum.
638
00:32:11,620 --> 00:32:13,517
They also detail
The epic struggle
639
00:32:13,551 --> 00:32:16,758
To get the giant monument built.
640
00:32:16,793 --> 00:32:19,310
But why is this national
Memorial started
641
00:32:19,344 --> 00:32:21,034
In the first place,
642
00:32:21,068 --> 00:32:22,793
And what can
Investigators discover
643
00:32:22,827 --> 00:32:26,206
About why it's here
In remote south dakota?
644
00:32:35,896 --> 00:32:38,517
Narrator:
South dakota's mouth rushmore.
645
00:32:38,551 --> 00:32:40,931
It's an american icon,
646
00:32:40,965 --> 00:32:44,172
But why is it built
In the first place,
647
00:32:44,206 --> 00:32:48,689
And why is it here
In south dakota's black hills?
648
00:32:48,724 --> 00:32:50,655
Architectural historian
Paula reed
649
00:32:50,689 --> 00:32:54,586
Pieces together archives
From across the country.
650
00:32:54,620 --> 00:32:56,448
She wants to find out
Where the idea
651
00:32:56,482 --> 00:32:59,413
For this unprecedented
Monument comes from.
652
00:32:59,448 --> 00:33:01,724
People are surprised,
Because, you know,
653
00:33:01,758 --> 00:33:05,206
They just think that rushmore
Was always planned as-is.
654
00:33:05,241 --> 00:33:08,517
♪♪
655
00:33:08,551 --> 00:33:10,931
Narrator: letters between
The project's early backers
656
00:33:10,965 --> 00:33:13,275
Reveal the first concept
For the mountain carving
657
00:33:13,310 --> 00:33:16,724
Has nothing to do
With presidents or democracy.
658
00:33:16,758 --> 00:33:19,655
Reed:
His original idea was to do
659
00:33:19,689 --> 00:33:22,068
More regional and local figures
660
00:33:22,103 --> 00:33:24,965
Rather than
These national heroes
661
00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,689
And also to do them
On a much, much smaller scale.
662
00:33:28,724 --> 00:33:32,551
Narrator:
In the 1920s, south dakota
State historian doane robinson
663
00:33:32,586 --> 00:33:37,172
Looks for a way to boost
The economy in his remote state.
664
00:33:37,206 --> 00:33:41,137
Reed: doane robinson wanted
To carve figures of the old west
665
00:33:41,172 --> 00:33:43,689
In the black hills area
666
00:33:43,724 --> 00:33:45,931
That would become
A tourist draw.
667
00:33:45,965 --> 00:33:50,586
It was a much, much
Smaller-scale operation.
668
00:33:50,620 --> 00:33:54,275
Narrator: the faces of old west
Heroes like buffalo bill
669
00:33:54,310 --> 00:33:58,724
And sitting bull could today be
Staring out of the black hills.
670
00:33:58,758 --> 00:34:00,551
How does this idea
Get transformed
671
00:34:00,586 --> 00:34:02,448
Into a massive mega project
672
00:34:02,482 --> 00:34:05,034
With the president
As its heroes?
673
00:34:05,068 --> 00:34:07,620
Doane robinson's letters
Recount the first time
674
00:34:07,655 --> 00:34:11,586
Mount rushmore's creator
Arrives in south dakota.
675
00:34:11,620 --> 00:34:14,172
Reed: doane robinson
Selected gutzon borglum,
676
00:34:14,206 --> 00:34:15,620
And it was an experiment,
Of course.
677
00:34:15,655 --> 00:34:19,241
He invited him to come and visit
To see what he would do
678
00:34:19,275 --> 00:34:23,137
And also to prepare
A proposal and a price quote.
679
00:34:23,172 --> 00:34:25,206
Narrator: robinson first
Brings gutzon borglum
680
00:34:25,241 --> 00:34:29,310
To this famous rock formation
Called the needles,
681
00:34:29,344 --> 00:34:31,586
But borglum
Rejects the thin spires
682
00:34:31,620 --> 00:34:35,448
And fractured granite
As unsuitable for portraits.
683
00:34:35,482 --> 00:34:38,034
He spends weeks trekking
Across south dakota's stunning,
684
00:34:38,068 --> 00:34:42,310
Rugged landscape
Looking for a suitable site.
685
00:34:42,344 --> 00:34:44,413
Letters between
The south dakota promoters
686
00:34:44,448 --> 00:34:47,344
Reveal that gutzon borglum
Is inspired
687
00:34:47,379 --> 00:34:50,172
When he finds
The perfect location.
688
00:34:50,206 --> 00:34:54,000
Reed: when borglum saw mount
Rushmore in its natural state,
689
00:34:54,034 --> 00:34:59,275
He said, "This is where
I want to do something major."
690
00:34:59,310 --> 00:35:01,896
Narrator:
He proposes a gigantic carving,
691
00:35:01,931 --> 00:35:06,172
An unprecedented colossus
Of national significance.
692
00:35:06,206 --> 00:35:08,000
Reed:
In reading the correspondence,
693
00:35:08,034 --> 00:35:11,793
I'm surprised that they went
Along as quickly as they did.
694
00:35:11,827 --> 00:35:13,758
I don't think
They really envisioned
695
00:35:13,793 --> 00:35:15,275
That it would be possible
696
00:35:15,310 --> 00:35:19,827
To do something on the scale
Of what mount rushmore became,
697
00:35:19,862 --> 00:35:23,206
And no one had
Ever done it before.
698
00:35:23,241 --> 00:35:27,068
Narrator: by 1925, when borglum
Is planning mount rushmore,
699
00:35:27,103 --> 00:35:29,965
28 presidents have held office.
700
00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:33,758
Why does he choose these
Apparently unconnected four?
701
00:35:33,793 --> 00:35:37,413
Paula finds clues in gutzon
Borglum's prolific writing.
702
00:35:37,448 --> 00:35:41,172
I think they were unified
In gutzon borglum's mind.
703
00:35:41,206 --> 00:35:42,931
He referred to them
As empire-makers
704
00:35:42,965 --> 00:35:46,482
Or empire-builders.
705
00:35:46,517 --> 00:35:49,517
Narrator:
George washington is the
Country's founding president.
706
00:35:49,551 --> 00:35:52,448
Reed: pretty much an automatic
Thing to put him on the mountain
707
00:35:52,482 --> 00:35:55,068
As the most prominent
Of the four heads.
708
00:35:55,103 --> 00:35:57,206
And in addition,
During his term,
709
00:35:57,241 --> 00:36:02,034
The united states expanded in
Its territory toward the west.
710
00:36:02,068 --> 00:36:05,896
Narrator:
Third president thomas jefferson
Is also a founding father.
711
00:36:05,931 --> 00:36:08,724
Reed: well, he drafted
The declaration of independence.
712
00:36:08,758 --> 00:36:12,241
Then, as president, he greatly
Expanded the territory
713
00:36:12,275 --> 00:36:15,689
Of the united states
With the louisiana purchase.
714
00:36:15,724 --> 00:36:18,482
Narrator:
Abraham lincoln preserves
The union of the united states
715
00:36:18,517 --> 00:36:21,344
By winning the civil war.
716
00:36:21,379 --> 00:36:23,482
Theodore "Teddy" roosevelt
Is the last
717
00:36:23,517 --> 00:36:26,517
And perhaps
Most surprising choice.
718
00:36:26,551 --> 00:36:29,586
First of all, he was a friend
Of gutzon borglum's,
719
00:36:29,620 --> 00:36:33,000
But he was also, as borglum
Would say, an empire-maker.
720
00:36:33,034 --> 00:36:35,310
Narrator: the united states
Completes the panama canal,
721
00:36:35,344 --> 00:36:38,034
And it becomes u.S. Territory
Under roosevelt,
722
00:36:38,068 --> 00:36:40,379
Securing america's prosperity.
723
00:36:40,413 --> 00:36:44,206
Reed: all four of the people
Who are on mount rushmore
724
00:36:44,241 --> 00:36:48,586
Would become a symbol of america
Emerging from its beginnings
725
00:36:48,620 --> 00:36:51,379
Into a major power.
726
00:36:51,413 --> 00:36:53,689
Narrator: gutzon borglum
Creates these four icons
727
00:36:53,724 --> 00:36:55,275
Of the american presidency
728
00:36:55,310 --> 00:36:58,862
Out of the epic landscape
Of the nation they build.
729
00:36:58,896 --> 00:37:01,827
By daring to work
At this unprecedented scale,
730
00:37:01,862 --> 00:37:03,413
His vision becomes a temple
731
00:37:03,448 --> 00:37:06,586
To the united states'
Founding ideals.
732
00:37:06,620 --> 00:37:11,310
But how long can this symbol
Of american achievement last?
733
00:37:11,344 --> 00:37:14,034
What threatens
This iconic memorial?
734
00:37:22,413 --> 00:37:25,206
Narrator: mount rushmore --
A shrine to four
735
00:37:25,241 --> 00:37:27,655
Of america's
Greatest presidents,
736
00:37:27,689 --> 00:37:29,827
Designed to inspire
Today's citizens
737
00:37:29,862 --> 00:37:32,862
And impress future
Civilizations.
738
00:37:32,896 --> 00:37:36,344
But how long can
This iconic monument last?
739
00:37:36,379 --> 00:37:38,586
There are 140 fractures,
740
00:37:38,620 --> 00:37:40,137
And they're all over
The sculptures,
741
00:37:40,172 --> 00:37:42,482
You know, above it,
Below it, behind it.
742
00:37:42,517 --> 00:37:45,620
♪♪
743
00:37:45,655 --> 00:37:49,137
Narrator: the granite faces
Are exceptionally tough,
744
00:37:49,172 --> 00:37:51,000
But tiny fissures in the rock
745
00:37:51,034 --> 00:37:53,206
Can allow rainwater
To trickle in.
746
00:37:53,241 --> 00:37:56,724
[ rock crackling ]
747
00:37:56,758 --> 00:37:59,862
As it freezes, it wedges
Open the cracks...
748
00:37:59,896 --> 00:38:03,241
♪♪
749
00:38:03,275 --> 00:38:06,068
...With potentially
Catastrophic results.
750
00:38:06,103 --> 00:38:10,068
♪♪
751
00:38:10,103 --> 00:38:14,551
To prevent this, the team
At rushmore fills any cracks
752
00:38:14,586 --> 00:38:16,862
With a waterproof sealant.
753
00:38:16,896 --> 00:38:20,103
And to detect even
The tiniest movement,
754
00:38:20,137 --> 00:38:24,000
They install a network of
Highly sensitive motion sensors.
755
00:38:24,034 --> 00:38:26,275
Will this be enough
To protect mount rushmore
756
00:38:26,310 --> 00:38:29,000
For centuries to come?
757
00:38:29,034 --> 00:38:30,413
Vining:
We can measure down
758
00:38:30,448 --> 00:38:33,551
To thousandths of an inch
Resolution.
759
00:38:33,586 --> 00:38:37,310
Narrator: engineer cody vining
Is an expert in rock mechanics.
760
00:38:37,344 --> 00:38:42,379
He's tasked with monitoring any
Deterioration in mount rushmore.
761
00:38:42,413 --> 00:38:43,586
The biggest concern
762
00:38:43,620 --> 00:38:46,793
Is where fractures intersect
Inside the rock.
763
00:38:46,827 --> 00:38:49,482
Vining: when they intersect,
They form a discrete block
764
00:38:49,517 --> 00:38:55,413
That have the potential to move
From the current location.
765
00:38:55,448 --> 00:38:57,448
Narrator: cody and his team
Monitor the network
766
00:38:57,482 --> 00:39:00,965
Of high-tech movement
Sensors around the faces.
767
00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,586
They capture any microscopic
Change in the width
768
00:39:03,620 --> 00:39:06,034
Of the fractures
Surrounding these blocks.
769
00:39:06,068 --> 00:39:07,793
Vining:
Here is our real-time feed
770
00:39:07,827 --> 00:39:10,517
From the instruments
Up on mount rushmore.
771
00:39:10,551 --> 00:39:15,379
We are measuring
7/1,000 inch displacement.
772
00:39:15,413 --> 00:39:17,620
Narrator: right now,
An exposed block in the side
773
00:39:17,655 --> 00:39:21,034
Of george washington's cheek
Causes the most concern.
774
00:39:21,068 --> 00:39:22,827
Vining: we got
The exposed rock up there.
775
00:39:22,862 --> 00:39:24,413
It snows. Snow accumulates.
776
00:39:24,448 --> 00:39:26,655
The sun comes out.
It melts the snow,
777
00:39:26,689 --> 00:39:29,000
And it can percolate down
Into these fractures,
778
00:39:29,034 --> 00:39:30,551
And the water can freeze.
779
00:39:30,586 --> 00:39:33,137
The expansion of the ice
Can exert quite a bit of force
780
00:39:33,172 --> 00:39:34,448
On the rock.
781
00:39:34,482 --> 00:39:37,448
Narrator: this process is called
The freeze-thaw cycle.
782
00:39:37,482 --> 00:39:40,448
♪♪
783
00:39:40,482 --> 00:39:44,448
In cold weather,
Water in the cracks can freeze,
784
00:39:44,482 --> 00:39:46,793
Pushing the cracks open.
785
00:39:46,827 --> 00:39:51,448
Then as the weather warms up,
The ice melts.
786
00:39:51,482 --> 00:39:53,758
If this cycle keeps repeating,
787
00:39:53,793 --> 00:39:56,586
The cracks grow larger
And larger,
788
00:39:56,620 --> 00:39:59,241
And whole blocks
Can become wedged apart.
789
00:39:59,275 --> 00:40:01,310
♪♪
790
00:40:01,344 --> 00:40:03,551
Vining: the original carvers,
They knew that these fractures
791
00:40:03,586 --> 00:40:05,827
Had the potential for water
To percolate in them.
792
00:40:05,862 --> 00:40:08,034
To reduce
That freeze-thaw cycle,
793
00:40:08,068 --> 00:40:09,275
You know, they patched the top
794
00:40:09,310 --> 00:40:11,620
With linseed oil
And granite dust.
795
00:40:11,655 --> 00:40:14,413
Narrator: cody checks that
The sealant is still working.
796
00:40:14,448 --> 00:40:17,620
He uses sensors so accurate
That he can see mount rushmore
797
00:40:17,655 --> 00:40:19,448
Reacting to the weather.
798
00:40:19,482 --> 00:40:23,000
When the rock changes
Temperature, it changes shape.
799
00:40:23,034 --> 00:40:25,482
We see variation hour-to-hour.
800
00:40:25,517 --> 00:40:27,655
And then we can really see
The fluctuation
801
00:40:27,689 --> 00:40:31,620
And the displacements
Through the seasons.
802
00:40:31,655 --> 00:40:36,275
Narrator:
The instruments also measure
Minute temperature fluctuations,
803
00:40:36,310 --> 00:40:37,758
So cody can take into account
804
00:40:37,793 --> 00:40:41,344
These natural rock movements
In his calculations and work out
805
00:40:41,379 --> 00:40:43,862
If the blocks are slipping
Further than expected
806
00:40:43,896 --> 00:40:45,482
And damaging the sealant.
807
00:40:45,517 --> 00:40:48,482
♪♪
808
00:40:48,517 --> 00:40:52,310
He determines that mount
Rushmore is stable for now.
809
00:40:52,344 --> 00:40:55,103
But this state-of-the-art system
Will sound an early warning
810
00:40:55,137 --> 00:40:57,724
Of any critical deterioration.
811
00:40:57,758 --> 00:41:00,482
Vining:
As long as we keep monitoring
It, and they maintain the seal
812
00:41:00,517 --> 00:41:03,689
To prevent water from filtrating
Into the fractures,
813
00:41:03,724 --> 00:41:05,896
There's no reason
This sculpture won't be there
814
00:41:05,931 --> 00:41:09,137
For tens, thousands, hundreds
Of thousands of years to come.
815
00:41:09,172 --> 00:41:13,241
♪♪
816
00:41:13,275 --> 00:41:14,827
Narrator: mount rushmore --
817
00:41:14,862 --> 00:41:19,137
A monument shaped
By the geology of south dakota
818
00:41:19,172 --> 00:41:24,137
And transformed by a feat
Of ingenious engineering
819
00:41:24,172 --> 00:41:26,275
With hidden messages
Of american greatness
820
00:41:26,310 --> 00:41:29,448
For future civilizations,
821
00:41:29,482 --> 00:41:34,413
An icon to inspire
All americans.
822
00:41:34,448 --> 00:41:37,413
--captions by vitac--
Www.Vitac.Com
823
00:41:37,448 --> 00:41:40,379
Captions paid for by
Discovery communications
824
00:41:40,413 --> 00:41:48,310
♪♪
825
00:41:48,344 --> 00:41:56,275
♪♪
826
00:41:56,310 --> 00:42:04,310
♪♪
66004
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