Crazy Horse Monument- South Dakota

 

After visiting Mt. Rushmore, we stopped by the Crazy Horse Monument.

 

There is so much to love about this place.  Where can I start?

 

It is a work in progress that has been going on since the 40s.  There is some overlap with Mt. Rushmore (Crazy Horse sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski contributed to Mt. Rushmore).  The work of art is based on the image of a legendary person....  who was NEVER photographed.  And, many members of Ziolkowski's family are still working on it.

Like Mt. Rushmore, you can see it from the road, but there is so much more going on in the park area.

We really enjoyed the museums.  You could spend a lot of time simply exploring them.  Plus, there were many relevant vendors selling crafts and jewelry there.  Some authors were there selling books too!

The museum was very big and extensive.  There were displays about the monument, American Indian Culture, and Korczak's work (I really enjoyed seeing some of his other works of art!).

For $4 you can take a bus out to get a much closer look at Crazy Horse.  We had a great guide who talked about the progress of the monument and how devoted the family is to continuing the work.

The family has been careful about funding for the monument.  They have avoided using funds from the government.

We did have lunch in their cafe and this was a TREAT!  Good food.  Oh, and they have free coffee!

I am hoping that, with improving technology, they can finish up the monument sometime soon (There is no real estimated time of completion available).  I hope to make it back every few years though as this is a great place to visit, and seeing the progress as the years go by will be very exciting!

Oh, the staff at the main entrance to the museum was great!  After our visit, we asked about other things to do in the area.  Kyle Ann gave us several great tips about the area.  She gave us a map and pointed out several can't miss stops.  We talked to her for a long time about where to go and how to use our time in the area carefully!  She was very influential in our plans for the next couple of days and her advice was perfect!



http://crazyhorsememorial.org/