Crazy Horse Memorial reaches milestone

Sioux City Journal ^ | November 25, 2003 | N/A

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

I think the original founder passed away a few years ago.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Crazy Horse

[cmsgop]

best of luck to you and your freep! and don't forget to party afterwards.

[newgeezer]

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL, S.D. -- A new milestone has been accomplished on the Crazy Horse mountain carving in progress in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Workers this month completed blocking out the upper half of the 22-story high horse's head on the world's largest sculpture.

Overall, Crazy Horse will be 563 feet high, 641 feet long and be carved in-the-round, according to a news release from the Crazy Horse Memorial project.

The mountain carving is the focal point of a nonprofit educational and cultural memorial honoring the North American Indian. The project is being continued by the wife and family of sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982).

The 19-foot high horse's head has been the priority since completion of the nine-story high face of Crazy Horse on June 3, 1998, the memorial's 50th anniversary. The imposing granite face of Crazy Horse alone is the world's largest sculpted portrait.

"Reaching the halfway mark in blocking out the horse's head is one of our most dramatic milestones in the mountain progress," said Ruth Ziolkowski, president and CEO of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. "That's because the horse's head presents unique engineering challenges. In most every way it is an unprecedented undertaking in terms of logistics, scale, goal and nonprofit financing."

She added that it will take longer to shape the lower half of the horse's head than the upper portion.

"The mountain is considerably wider in the lower areas, so blocking out there will take longer and cost more. To speed our slow but steady progress, we need increased support from individuals, foundations and corporations. They could help in many ways. Also important to our progress is continued support of the heavy equipment and explosives industries which have been generous in the past," she said.

Gifts to the nonprofit Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation are tax exempt under IRS guidelines. For more information about the memorial, visit the Web site -- www.crazyhorsememorial.org

[Arkinsaw]

I remember seeing this way back in the 70's. Nothing but a hole. My parents and I laughed about it. But its starting to look pretty darn impressive.

[im4given]

a really amazing sight to see in person. the story of crazy horse is interesting also. i definitely recommend visiting.

[newgeezer]

...22-story high horse's head ... The 19-foot high horse's head has been the priority ...

Either that's a typo, or their "stories" are awfully small. (How about 190 feet?!)

[GWfan]

Yep. I saw it when it was just a jagged profile.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...CUSTER's U.S. 7th Cavalry's 2nd Battle of the LITTLE BIG HORN =

...Vietnam's Battle of the IA DRANG-1965,

...only this time WE won.


http://www.lzxray.com



Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer / Vet-Battle of IA DRANG-1965

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
(Photos)

[Tax-chick]

I think it means that the horse is 22 stories high, while the horse's head is 19 feet high....

"22-story high horse's head" = head of the 22-story-high horse.

[July 4th]

190 feet sounds right. There was a special about it on the Discovery Channel the other day. This thing is HUGE.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Living only 20 miles from the site, I have watched the progress of Crazy Horse Monument for about 30 years. Korzcak Ziolkowsky passed away several years ago, but his widow, Ruth, and several children have continued with his dream. They are doing an admiral job. They accept no government funding and rely totally on private donations and a small admittance fee to the site. There is so much more to see there than just the monument. The Indian museum is one of the best in the nation. On the drawing board are also plans for an Indian university and hospital on site. Most tourists come here to see Mt. Rushmore....but I suggest they add the Crazy Horse monument to their itinerary. It really is a "have to see". The gift shop is good too, if you are interested in Native American art and artifacts.

If any FReepers come this way, contact me. I'll give you a personal tour.

[South40]

I was there a couple years ago. Stayed in Custer just a few miles down the road. The Crazyhorse Monument was one of the highlights of the trip. That and Sturgis.

[I got the rope]

I'm going to take you up on that someday. I have always wanted to visit the Dakotas.

[joesnuffy]

Maybe the Air Cav can do a fly-by for the dedication...:)

[Denver Ditdat]

Bump.

I remember watching a film called "They Said It Couldn't Be Done" when I was in high school during the 70s. Lots of great original footage and then-contemporary interviews with the men who worked on the Hoover Dam, Golden Gate Bridge, and Mt. Rushmore projects. As an adjunct to the latter, the Crazy Horse site and early works were featured. It was nothing much at the time, but it looks to be astounding when it is finished.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Please do.............and I mean that.

[cibco]

Any idea of the amount of donations they get from Indian casinos?

[Rushmore Rocks]

Nope.....never have heard anything about that...but I wouldn't be too suprised to hear that they have contributed. It happens.

[Barnacle]

Crazy Horse Memorial reaches milestone

Man, that's a long monument. How many miles long will it be when complete?

?;^T