October 5, 1947 marks the day that sculptor Gutzon Borglum began working on the presidential busts on Mount Rushmore. The project was started by South Dakota historian Doane Robinson as a way to attract tourism. Originally the sculpture was supposed to include great heroes of the west like Lakota chief Red Cloud. Borglum later suggested to use George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as the subjects because of their contributions to the birth of democracy. Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt were later added to the list for similar reasons.

Continue on to check out some historic, behind-the-scenes photos of Mount Rushmore as it was being built.

American artist Gutzon Borglum begins work on Mount Rushmore in 1927.

President Calvin Coolidge at the dedication of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial on August 10, 1927.

Gutzon selected this mountain and location because the rock was suitable for carving, and its southwest-facing angle would keep the mountain under sunlight for most of the day.

Powderman John Johnson prepares a few dynamite charges to blast away parts of the mountain.

Pictured here is the final version of the plaster model used to carve Mount Rushmore.

This photo from 1936 shows workers chipping away at Thomas Jefferson's face.

Gutzon Borglum monitors the work being done on Abraham Lincoln's face.

This is Borglum's finished Mount Rushmore sculpture after its completion in 1941.