On June 3, 1948, a single blast of dynamite tore roughly 10 tons of granite from Thunderhead Mountain in South Dakota’s Black Hills. It marked the beginning of one of the most ambitious and longest-running mountain-carving projects in the world.
Nearly eight decades later, the mountain is still being transformed into the likeness of Crazy Horse, the renowned Oglala Lakota warrior. The project, now known as the Crazy Horse Memorial, has survived its creator and continues to be shaped by generations of the Ziolkowski family.
A vision born from Native American history
The idea for the memorial came from Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear, who wanted to create a monument that would honour Native Americans and preserve their history and culture in the Black Hills.
Standing Bear approached sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski after learning about his work at Mount Rushmore and his award-winning marble portrait of Polish statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski, which won first prize at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
Standing Bear first wrote to Ziolkowski in November 1939, and the two later met at Pine Ridge. After serving in the Second World War, Ziolkowski eventually accepted Standing Bear’s invitation to undertake the project.
Ziolkowski arrived in the Black Hills in 1947 and selected Thunderhead Mountain as the site. His plan was unlike a conventional monument: instead of placing a sculpture on the landscape, he intended to carve the mountain itself.
The finished memorial is designed to depict Crazy Horse riding a horse, with one arm extended toward the lands associated with his people. When completed, the sculpture is planned to measure 641 feet long and 563 feet high—making it vastly larger than the nearby Mount Rushmore.
Turning a mountain into a monument
Before carving could begin in earnest, Ziolkowski had to build much of the infrastructure needed for the enormous undertaking.
He constructed roads, built a home and workshop, and created a wooden staircase with 741 steps to reach the higher sections of the mountain. His equipment was basic, and machinery frequently broke down.
The first blast on June 3, 1948, therefore represented far more than the removal of 10 tons of rock. It was the moment when Ziolkowski’s ambitious vision became a physical project that would span decades.
Five survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn were among those present for the dedication and the first blast.
Why Crazy Horse?
The choice of Crazy Horse carried deep historical significance. The Oglala Lakota leader became widely associated with resistance to the expansion of the United States into Lakota territory.
But Ziolkowski faced a major challenge: Crazy Horse had never permitted himself to be photographed.
Without a confirmed portrait to work from, the sculptor relied on written descriptions, historical accounts and recollections from people who had known the warrior. The memorial therefore presents an artistic interpretation based on descriptions of Crazy Horse’s features and appearance rather than a verified photograph.
The dream continues after Ziolkowski’s death
Ziolkowski spent 34 years working on the mountain before his death in 1982 at the age of 74.
The project, however, did not end with its creator.
His widow, Ruth, and most of their children continued his work. By that time, seven of his 10 children were involved in the memorial, taking responsibility for tasks ranging from drilling and blasting to engineering, road maintenance and administration.
Ruth later made a significant change to the project’s priorities. After reviewing her husband’s measurements and plans, she shifted the main focus toward carving Crazy Horse’s face.
That decision eventually brought the first recognisable section of the monumental sculpture into view. In 1998, 16 years after Ziolkowski’s death, the face was dedicated.
Carving has continued in stages ever since.
The left hand was completed in 2024, marking another major milestone. Work has now shifted toward the horse’s head, which the memorial’s current leadership estimates could take roughly another decade to carve.
Despite the progress, the enormous sculpture remains unfinished, and there is still no fixed completion date.
A monument measured in generations
From the beginning, the Crazy Horse Memorial was never envisioned as a project that could be completed quickly. Ziolkowski understood that transforming an entire mountain would likely extend beyond his own lifetime.
His family has continued that philosophy, with the project relying largely on visitor revenue, donations and private support rather than federal funding.
According to a 2026 CBS report, more than $250 million in private funds has been spent on the project so far.
Today, the unfinished sculpture overlooks the Black Hills, its incomplete form itself becoming part of the monument’s story.
What began with a single sculptor and a massive idea has evolved into a multigenerational undertaking. Every section of the mountain requires years of surveying, drilling, blasting and finishing, while plans can change as new surfaces are exposed.
There is no conventional deadline and no guaranteed finish line.
Instead, the Crazy Horse Memorial continues to evolve—one blast, one carved section and one generation at a time.
