(John) Gutzon Borglum
Biography
Born John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum near Bear Lake, in Idaho. Moved to New York City in 1902. Studied in Paris at the Academie Julian and Ecole des Beaux Arts. Married Mary Williams Montgomery May 20, 1909. They had a son and a daughter.
In 1910 he designed a new membership medal for the ANS. He was designer and primary sculptor for Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Work was begun in 1927 and completed in 1944. Borglum also designed the Confederate Memorial for Stone Mountain, Georgia. It was completed by others. He was a 32nd degree Mason.
He died in Chicago, Illinois*.
A representation of his sculpture appears on the obverse of the Stone Mountain half dollar. It also appears on the Stone Mountain commemorative medal struck in 1971. The Borglum sculpture at Mount Rushmore was honored with a commemorative half dollar issued in 1991.
bio: CBY 41; CCUS; Fielding (*gives place of death New York City); NCAB 30; P-F; WAB; WWWA-1; WWWAmArt
obit: NYT 7/3/41
Source credit: Pete Smith, American Numismatic Biographies
Bio Snapshot
Date of Birth: 1867 - Mar - 25Place of Birth: near Bear Lake, in Idaho
Date of Death: 1941 - Mar - 6