Project establishment was harder than the granite on the mountain. Once Robinson and others had found a sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, they had to get permission to do the carving. Senator Peter Norbeck and Congressman William Williamson were instrumental in getting the legislation passed to allow the carving. Williamson drafted two bills, one each, to be introduced to Congress and the State Legislature. The bill requesting permission to use Federal land for the monument was easily passed. The bill sent to the State of South Dakota was not going to be so easy. The Mount Harney National Memorial bill was defeated twice and almost a third time when on March 5, 1925 Governor Gunderson signed the bill. The Mount Harney Memorial Association was established by the Governor later that summer.

Early in the project money was hard to find despite Borglum's promise eastern businessmen would gladly make large donations. He also promised the people of South Dakota they would not be responsible for paying for any of the mountain carving. In the summer of 1927, President Calvin Coolidge was in the Black Hills, and Borglum was planning a formal dedication of the mountain. Borglum hired a plane to fly over the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park where Coolidge was staying. As he flew by Borglum dropped a wreath to invite the President to the dedication ceremony. Fortunately Coolidge agreed to attend. On August 10, 1927 Mount Rushmore was formally dedicated. At the dedication ceremony President Coolidge gave a speech and promised federal funding for the project.

A meeting was arranged for Borglum to meet with the Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon. Mellon's approval would be critical to the passage of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Act through both houses of Congress. Borglum convinced Mellon of the projects importance. Mellon was willing to fund the entire project but Borglum said he would need only half the money from the government on a matching basis, the rest, he could raise privately. Senator Norbeck was stunned that Borglum would turn down full funding.

President Coolidge signed the bill authorizing federal funding. The Rushmore bill authorized government matching funds up to $250,000.00 and created the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission with 12 members appointed by the President. Coolidge appointed ten of the twelve members and said Hoover should appoint the other two.

When Hoover took office he quickly appointed the final two members to the commission but did not meet with the Commission. The Commission had to meet with the president to begin work. Congressman Williamson was asked to make an appointment with the president, asking him to organize the Commission meeting. Frustrated by the slow pace, Borglum decided he would try to get in to see the President. When he got to the White House he got into an altercation with the President's secretary and Williamson's appointment was cancelled. Eventually Williamson got in to see the President, convinced him of the importance of the project and getting the first meeting of the Commission set up. Hoover met with the Commission within a couple of days. Officers were elected and the day following the meeting Williamson and Boland, the secretary of the executive committee, went to Mellon and received the first funding from the government. Mellon gave them $54, 670.56 to match funds already spent by the Mount Harney Association.

One notable exclusion from the new Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission was Doane Robinson. The father of the project was not even put on the list of potential candidates to serve on the committee to be selected by the President. Robinson continued to support the project and generously offered, "Let me help were I can." Soon, feeling unnecessary, Robinson moved away from the Rushmore project.

The Commission was organized and money was in the bank, work on the mountain could begin in earnest. Workers were hired, machinery was installed and facilities were developed. In the 1930's Norbeck managed to get emergency relief-funds through the New Deal and to get those funds matched by the Rushmore Appropriation.

In 1933 a major change developed with the signing of Executive Order 6166 by President Franklin Roosevelt. Mount Rushmore was placed under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Borglum did not like being under the "watchful eye of the government". Julian Spotts, an engineer by training, was sent by the National Park Service to assist with the work. Spotts made improvements that made work on the mountain more efficient and easier on the workers.

In 1938 Borglum removed all road blocks to his complete control of the Rushmore project. At this time the Mount Rushmore Memorial Commission was reorganized and new members, who allowed Borglum complete control over almost everything, were named. Borglum wanted to create the Hall of Records, a large repository carved into the side of the canyon behind the carving of the presidents, to tell the story of Mount Rushmore and America. Work was stopped in 1939 because of the threat of losing all funding if the money was not used on the carving of the faces as was intended. Work on the Hall of Records stopped and was never started again.

For the final two years of the project Lincoln, Borglum's son, was in charge while Gutzon was constantly trying to get more money for the project. In March of 1941, as a final dedication was being planned, Gutzon Borglum died. With the artist gone and the impending involvement of America in World War II, finishing work on Mount Rushmore drew to a close. On October 31, 1941 the monument was declared complete.

Receiving permission to do the carving, finding funding and managing personalities were all a part of the challenge to establish Mount Rushmore National Memorial. At times it seemed harder to keep the project going than it was to do the colossal carving of the four presidents. In the end, cooler heads, charm, and determination saw the memorial through to the end. Mount Rushmore National Memorial has become a great icon of American history.