Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published May 28, 2003

Borglum's work stands in Georgia and South Dakota

The only link between Georgia and South Dakota might be the word "south," but there is a stronger bond. Both states have sculptures hewn out of native mountains, sculptures that were touched by the skilled hands and creative brain of artist Gutzon Borglum. Even though I have visited both of these attractions, I only recently learned of the connection.

The Encyclopedia Britannica filled in some blanks about Borglum. The talented sculptor did many works of art including the Twelve Apostles for the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City. In the capitol rotunda in Washington, DC is the head of Lincoln which he created from a six ton block of marble. The encyclopedia followed that fact with these words, "This suggested to southern ladies a similar head of Robert E. Lee and Borglum was engaged to go to Stone Mountain, GA."

Stone Mountain has been described as the "eighth wonder of the world." The 825-foot high granite monolith is the largest outcropping of granite in the world. One writer explained it was a hundred million years in the making and lay another hundred million years "incubating before it stood out like a great gray egg on a vast plain." Located sixteen miles east of Atlanta, the foundation for the State Capitol was built of Stone Mountain granite in 1887, as were many streets in cities across the south.

In a 1963 booklet "The Story of Stone Mountain," author Willard Neal writes the idea of a sculpture on the mountain began in 1915. Mrs. Helen Plane, charter member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and president of the Atlanta Chapter, thought a small bust of Robert E. Lee carved into the vertical face of the mountain would make a nice memorial.

Enter Borglum who studied the subject from all angles and as he made sketches his imagination went into high gear. When he presented his ideas to the ladies it was no longer a bust of Lee. Borglum had enlarged the sculpture to appear as a titanic procession marching out of the mountain led by Lee and followed by his staff and soldiers. The UDC ladies were filled with awe at the understanding this Yankee had brought to the work. When Borglum told them the venture would take ten years and three million dollars, they felt they could not take on such a burden.

Unfazed, the sculptor continued with his preparations. World War I put a stop to everything, but immediately after the Armistice in 1918, Borglum returned to the mountain. He had no promise of payment and no arrangements had been made for raising money. Finally in March 1923, the Stone Mountain Confederate Monumental Association, made up of 50 leading citizens of Atlanta, was organized to raise funds.

Borglum signed a contract in September of that year to complete the central group for $250,000. He was a showman as well as a talented artist and the nation was kept abreast of the happenings at the mountain through magazine and news stories. In January 1924, the finished head and shoulders of General Robert E. Lee was unveiled and greeted with a Rebel yell from 20,000 people watching from the ground.

Rumors of problems and a slowdown in the work caught the attention of editors across the South, and in March 1925, Borglum was fired. He left the state immediately after smashing all his models to bits and destroying or removing all his sketches and papers. The encyclopedia said of Borglum's work at Stone Mountain, "Disputes stopped what might have proved to be one of the wonders of sculpture."

To be continued next week.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.