The film above shot on August 10, 1927 shows President Calvin Coolidge riding a horse to the dedication of the Mount Rushmore site. There are also views of Mount Rushmore as it looked before carving began. The film is silent.
In the next clip, a narrator provides some detail about the events of the dedication. Coolidge addressed the assembly and presented sculptor Gutzon Borglum with steel drill bits, symbolically providing the tools to get the carving underway.
OTHER MEDIA
Learn more about the development and carving of Mount Rushmore in this clip from the PBS program "American Experience."
For Teachers: Activity idea is available at SDPB's Digital Learning Library.