Crazy Horse, South Dakota

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The monument to Crazy Horse is under construction and has been under construction for the past 50 years. The United States government has offered to help in this project financially but the Indians wish to do this project themselves. When it is completed, it will be the largest sculpture in the world. It will stand 641 feet long and 563 feet high. Every evening at 8:30 p.m. there is a lazer light show on the mountain.

Crazy Horse was chosen as the Indian representative for this monument as he was the last of the important indian chiefs to surrender to our military. Chief Henry Standing Bear stated that the Indians of South Dakota wanted the white man to know that they have heros too. The man chosen to do the sculpture, Korczak Ziolkowski, visited the Black Hills in 1939 to choose a mountain on which to sculpt an Indian figure honoring American Indians. Fifty-five years after Ziolkowski began carving Crazy Horse Memorial, his family continues the dream and work progresses on the world's largest mountain
sculpture. It will not be finished in my lifetime, but possibly in the lifetime of one of our grandchildren if they are fortunate enough to see it. It is truly an amazing sight.

Crazy Horse is to be carved not so much as a lineal likeness but more as a memorial to the spirit of Crazy Horse and to his people. With his left hand thrown out and pointing in answer to the question asked by the white man "Where are your lands now?" He replied "My lands are where my dead lie buried".

Celebrated for his ferocity in battle he was recognized by his own people, the Lakota Indians, as a visionary leader committed to preserving the traditions and values of the Lakota way of life. He refused to allow any photographs to be taken of him. He was painted by several artists and was a striking and handsome warrior. He fought to prevent the American encroachment on Lakota lands. He was never on a reservation, and he refused to sign any treaty with the U. S. Government as the government had gone back on their agreements in the past. He joined forces with Sitting Bull on June 25, 1876, in the counter attack that destroyed Custer's Seventh Calvary.

It is planned to build an entire community around the memorial. Currently the Crazy Horse valley contains an amazing interpretive center, with book store, indian artifacts, restaurant, library, and gift shop. The future will bring a medical school, university for Indian students, hospital, and other community facilities needed for a town to operate efficiently. We so admire the Indians for what they are currently doing at Crazy Horse. This facility is on a par or better than most of our buildings offered in our National Park System. You will be pleasantly surprised when you visit. It is an amazing undertaking and the Indian people of this nation deserve our utmost respect for this project.

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Photos

The Crazy Horse Monument
In the background you can see the mountain with the face and arm extended. The foreground shows a replica of what the mountain will look like when it is completed.

An aerial view of Crazy Horse
This is the mountain as it appears today.