Rock of the Ages

What's My Line?

Hello there!  Today on W/E Wednesday we're going to play a little guessing game where I'll give you some facts and you'll have to try and guess what the heck is going on.

Our puzzle is going to be about the land formation to the left.  This mountain, which looks quite different today than this photo from 1905, is officially found in the Midwestern portion of the United States.  If I told you the exact state you'd guess it right away and that'd be no fun.  It was chosen from a group of three potential candidates,

I'm a Mountain Man, really!

the others being Old Baldy and Sugarloaf, for a special project.

This granite rock was named after the gentleman to the right, a New York City attorney.  While he was out in the area of the aforementioned rock in 1884 to check legal titles on properties,  he asked his camp guide what the name of the mountain was.  Guide Bill replied, "Never had a name but from now on we'll call it --------", which was the questioners last name.  I can't tell you that either, because you'd know FOR SURE and would ruin  all my fun in making you scratch your head in thought whilst I know the answer.  Perhaps you have a guess by now, but I'm trying to be crafty so hopefully you don't know quite yet.  I'm thinking the next bit of info may give it away.

A work in progress

The last clue, if you need it, is the driving force that made a mountain of granite into the monument it is today.  Gutzon Borglum, an American sculptor born in 1867, was asked by Doane Robinson, a representative for his state, to blast and carve away to expose the art hidden in the stone.  He started in 1927 with the first of his four- part project being unveiled in 1930, the second in 1936, the third in 1937 and the forth in 1939.  The work was totally completed in 1941, the year of Borglum's death, with his son Lincoln (that name is a huge clue, by the way) helping with the finishing touches.  The sculptures were supposed to be shown from the waist up but the U.S. was heading to war and the funds were needed for that effort, so the National Monument was declared complete on October 31, 1941.

I'm supposing you've guessed what the first mountain photo turns out to be but in case you haven't guessed yet, or you just want to see these beautiful rock carvings again, see below!

Thanks for playing!