The Workers

Black and white image of 24 workers in two rows, one seated, one standing on a large rock with Mount Rushmore in the background.  They are all white males wearing hats and clothing suitable for work - overalls, long sleeve shirts and boots.
Photograph of the last work crew at Mount Rushmore in 1941.
 

Over the fourteen year period of the carving, 1927 to 1941, almost 400 workers, men and women, labored at the memorial. The work was hard, the hours long, the pay low, and periods of employment uncertain. Despite harsh and dangerous conditions, there were no fatalities during the carving work. For some of these people the work was just a job, but for others it became a special calling.


“More and more we sensed we were creating a truly great thing, and after a while all of us old hands became truly dedicated to it.”

Red Anderson, Mount Rushmore Carver

 

List of Known Workers

Anderson, Dorothy
Anderson, Norman E. “Hap”
Anderson, Oscar A.
Anderson, Otto E. “Red”
Anderson, Peter “Pete”
Andrews, Cecil M.
Anton, Edward “Tony” “Pee Wee”
Aronson, J.A.
Arundel, Russell
Attwell, Walter G.

Baeeheri, Louie
Backer, Ned
Baier, Elizabeth Champion
Bailey, M.
Baird, H.E. “Bud”
Bames, Adolph
Barr, Howard C.
Barr, Jess
Barufaldi, Dan
Beck, Louis J.
Bell, E.
Berg, Alfred “Pop” “Al”
Berg, Raymond L. “Ray”
Berg, Sylvia
Beuck, Elmer J.
Biddle, Boyd
Bintliff, Patrick L. “Pat”
Bird, L.W.
Blacksmith, D.S.
Blewett, Thomas “Tom”
Blocnic, Alice
Boland, John A. “Johnny”
Borglum, James Lincoln
Bradford, Alvin “Alvie”
Bradford, Glenn
Brainard, Floyd
Brandt, Roy
Brewer, Lewis H. “Doc”
Brooks, Jack
Brosnahan, Martin
Brown, Claude
Brown, Harvey Jacob
Brown, Hubert
Bruner, Joseph A. “Joe”
Burchard, Harry
Burd, W.A.
Burns, Thomas S.
Burrow, Lee
Bush, Lee
Byrd, William Jewel “Ruby”

Cahoe, Chester E.
Campbell, Cecil
Canfield, Albert Basil “Bake”
Carson, Kenneth
Cass, Earl
Cerasani, Arthur J.
Champion, James Elmer “Jimmie”
Champion, James R. “Jim”
Cheney, Charles O. “Pop”
Christon, Robert Howard “Bob”
Cindel, Matthew I. “Matt”
Clark, Abram H.
Clark, Charles T.
Clark, William
Clifford, Charles
Clifford, Donald “Nick”
Coad, Edward W. “Ed”
Coen, R.
Conklin, Reuben
Coon, Dutch S.
Copelan, Tommy Leonard
Crain, Charles
Crain, Raleigh J.
Crain, Ralph
Crane, Roland
Crawford, Ted

Daley, Raymond “Ray”
Davis, Lewis G.
Del Bianco, Luigi
Denison, John C.
Denison, Steven
Denke, Alexander
Denton, Clyde R. “Spot”
Docken, Albin
Donahoe, John
Downing, Clyde
Downing, John
Doyle, Orval R.
Doyle, Robert
Ducolin, William “Bill”
Dunlap, A.B.
Dunmire, W.L.

Ehlers, Henry E.
Eilbeck, Bateman “Red”
Elmore, Ted
Ely, Donald A.
Ermish, L.D.
Escott, Albert
Etzel, George
Evans, Elbert “Rufus”
Evans, Harry

Felton, Conrad
Ferguson, John
Fisher, Frederick Holbrook
Flathers, Charles
Flathers, Floyd
Flick, Emil
Flick, Christine
Fuson, Ed
Fuson, Elmer

Gabur, Henry
Gallegher, Neal
Gardner, Miles “Mickey”
Gates, Clyde Henry
Gensler, Albert “Babe”
Gideon, C.C.
Gillette Perry Dode
Glattly, Donald G.
Goble, Ray
Goettsch, H.
Gordon, Eldon
Gould, Claude
Graham, William “Willie”
Graning, Harold “Sport”
Green, Chauncey
Green, Fred
Green, Irvin
Green, James H. “Jim”
Green, James E.
Greer, Jefferson E.
Grover, Raymond “Ray”
Grover, Daniel “Dan”
Grover, George
Grover, Walter L. “Walt”

Haas, Francis W.
Hall, Thomas
Hallsted, Charles W. “Chuck”
Hallsted, Edward R. “Ed”
Ham, Herbert B.
Hamley, James
Hansen, Pete
Harold, Eugene “Gene”
Hartman, Martin
Hartshorn, Lyle
Hayes, Charles
Hayes, J. Edward “Ed”
Hayford, Lyle
Hazeltine, Dallas
Hazeltine, Lloyd
Hazeltine, Paul
Hedlun, Theodore “Ted”
Hein, Hugo
Hendricks, John
Henry, Joseph E. “Ernest”
Heppner, Charles Edward “Ed”
Hesnard, George
Hicks, Miriam
Hill, George
Hilliard, Eula Everett
Himebaugh, Robert “Bob”
Hogan, Frank R.
Hoisington, Elmer
Holcomb, W.A.
Holland, Albert
Holmes, James “Jim”
Hough, Arthur R. “Art”
Houser, Ivan
Howe, Ellon C.
Hoyt, L.M.
Hubbard, Earl J.
Hudden, Frank
Hudson, E.A.
Hudson, Frank “Shortie”
Hull, L.
Huntimer, H.V. “Big Dick”

Ikast, Jens
Iverson, Elwood

Jacobs, W.
Jarvis, William
Jatko, Richard “Dick”
Jensen, Pete
Johnson, Alfred T.
Johnson, Ernest
Johnson, John A. “Art”
Jones, Frank E. “Casey”
Jones, Glenn T.
Jones, Walter
Joyce, Thomas F. “Tom”
Judson, Ed
Judson, Lawrence “Olie”
Junglas, Joseph “Joe”
Jurisch, Gustav R. “Bay”

Katsch, Walter Roy
Kersten, Charles V. “Pop”
Kidder, Harley “Little Hi”
Kieffer, Orland
King, Arthur M. “Art”
King, Charles P.
Kingsbury, Raymond “Ray” G.
Kinzie, Bert
Kirk, Ellen K.
Kopal, Joseph Sr.
Kotzebue, I.O. “Mr. K”

LaBelle, Alfred M.
LaBelle, Emmett A.
Lacey, Paul
Lang, Karl T.
LaRue, James “Jim”
Leach, Alton Parker “Hoot”
Leach, Arthur Henry
Leach, Clyde Arthur “Little Hoot”
Leach, Lloyd
Leden, Nils W.
Lewis, E.O.
Lewis, Lawrence L.
Linde, Arthur “Art”
Linde, Carl
Linde, Ernest A.
Lintz, John
Lodge, Herman “Ossie”
Long, W.K.
Lyndoe, Arthur H. “Boy”

Madill, Waldo George
Malone, Will
Marsh, Frank C.
Maxwell, Frank J.
McDonald, Floyd E.
McDonald, Harry
McDonald, Vincent
McGregor, Donald E.
McGregor, Wilson T.
McIntyre, D.
McLaughlin, John C.
McNally, Robert “Bob”
Measel, Glen
Mechels, August Christian
Meiners, Richard “Dickie”
Merrick, jack
Merrick, John C.
Micka, Frank R.
Miller, Hally
Mims, Thomas “Tom”
Miner, Tom
Mitchell, Jean Philip
Montgomery, Giles
Morrison, Donald L. “Don”
Munk, Harold
Murner, Lawrence C.

Nason, Roy
Naugle, John
Nelson, Neil
Nickels, John Jr.
Norman, Ed

Oaks, Earl E.
O’Briand E.
Osborn, Jack
Oslund, Emmett
Oslund, Ole
Otto, O.E.
Owens, Ben

Parish, C.B.
Parish, C.J.
Parish, R.E.
Parish, T.J.
Parness, Anthony Joseph
Paulson, T.
Payne, A.B. “Jack”
Payne, A.S.
Payne, Forrest
Payne, Frank
Payne, Jack
Payne, James T. Jr. “Jim”
Payne, James T. Sr.
Payne, Melba Swenson
Peabody, Stephen
Pelham, M.
Peterson, Howard “Howdy”
Peterson, Merle Everett
Petersen, Orwell P.
Philips, Robert
Phillips, Ed
Pierce, Harold “Shorty”
Pierce, Howard
Pierce, Walter
Pietz, Ervin
Pope, Carol Swenson Payne
Pope, Charles
Pryde, A.A.
Pryde, Edward “Ed”
Pulver, Fred A.

Radovich, Jack
Raga, Ernest “Ernie”
Raga, John “Johnny”
Rand, Charles W.
Raschka, Clarence
Raske, G.
Reedy, Jeremiah
Reilly, Matthew “Matt”
Reisetter, Holden “Slim”
Rentzell, Oscar
Reynolds, Ernest “Bill”
Rhodes, Ed
Rhodes, Frank E.
Rice, Robert P.
Richardson, Fred Jr.
Richardson, Fred Sr.
Riley, George
Roberts, Theodore
Robertson, Friend G.
Robinson, Charles
Robinson, Vern
Roush, Clifford
Roush, Edward R. “Ed”
Rumley, L.
Rumple, George L.

Sagdalen, Carlton “Cortie”
Sagdalen, Oscar
Sanders, Ray C.
Sanders, Virgil
Sanders, W. Ray
Schaunamen, Frank
Schell, William “Bill”
Schramm, Gustav L. “Gus”
Schrull, William Earl
Schuler, Ralph R.
Sheely, Charles “Chuck”
Shepard, Jay F.
Shimin, Ed
Sitfin, Vance
Skells, Frank
Smith, Ted
Snedigar, Gerald
Snowie, John “Jack”
Snyder, Frank
Spangler, A.B.
Sparks, A.E.
Sparks, Harry
Spotts, Gladys Swenson Hallsted
Spotts, Julian C.
Spriggs, A.J. “Jerry”
Spriggs, Archie D.
Stangle, A.B. “Babe”
Stanley, Carl
Stevens, James
Streets, A.
Strong, C.F.
Stutzke, Max F.
Swenson, Theodore “Ted”
Swanzey, Harold “Davie”
Swenson, Boyd
Swisher, Clyde

Tallman, William S. “Bill”
Thomas, A.K.
Thompson, Jean w. “Beaner”
Thompson, Pat
Thornton, W.A.
Tone, David
Townsend, Emmet
Tucker, Jesse G.
Twining John

Udean, Frank

Valdez, Adolph
Valdez, Leo
Valdez, Zeke
Vandenburg, Kieron
Vodicka, Joseph
Villa, Hugo
Virtue, Lloyd “Lively”
Virtue, Ralph
Vranich, Chris

Wager, Marvin
Walker, Alonzo “Lon”
Wasser, Maxine
Watson, Marion G. “Mony”
Watson, Steve
Webb, Joe
Weber, Mike
Wellman, Ivan B.
Westrack, Erick
Whitney, Loid E.
Wilcox, Gale Hill
Wilcox, George O.
Wilcox, Louise
Wilcox, Mrs. Orson H.
Wilkinson, Walter D. “Walt”
Wilson, William
Winkowitch, Ben
Woody, Cecil
Worman, Orville

Young, Edward R. “Ed”
Young, Edwin Arnold
Young, Frank

Zasadil, Jack
Zens, Albert
Ziolkowski, Korczak
Zwanziger, Leonard “Red”

Last updated: March 28, 2023

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

13000 Highway 244
Building 31, Suite 1

Keystone, SD 57751

Phone:

605 574-2523
Park information. Phones are answered from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact Us