Crazy for Crazy Horse

I finally made it to the Crazy Horse Memorial near Custer, South Dakota. What a thrill. I have wanted to see this not-yet-completed memorial along with Mt. Rushmore for as long as I can recall. The Black Hills, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon, the Badlands, and more contain breathtaking scenery which moves the soul. 

Begun on June 3, 1948, the memorial to the great Lakota chief and warrior, Crazy Horse (1840-1877) is an on-going project. First envisioned by cowboy James Cook, a memorial was to be constructed at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, the site where, in 1877, Crazy Horse was bayoneted by a soldier while being held by the U.S. Army. In 1933, Chief Henry Standing Bear, a cousin of Crazy Horse, learned of the memorial plan. Standing Bear contacted James Cook and told him that he and other Lakota leaders, a branch of the Sioux Indians, had formed the Crazy Horse Memorial Association. Their plan was to build a memorial to Crazy Horse in the sacred Black Hills, land of their people.

The torch was handed to Standing Bear and he began his search for just the right sculptor to begin the massive job. His first thought was Gutzon Borglum who was working on Mount Rushmore at the time. Standing Bear would finally choose Polish-American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982) to take on the work. It was Chief Standing Bear’s dream for this memorial to create an understanding between Native people and non-Native people. That work continues into its 76^th year. 

Why was Crazy Horse picked as the subject for this Lakota memorial? The child, Curly — named for his curly hair — would become known as “His Horse Looking” and would later take on his father’s name of Crazy Horse. His father then took on the name of Worm.

Crazy Horse bravely rode and fought in many battles such as Rosebud (1876) and Little Big Horn (1876). He was a strong leader, and tactician, and was revered by his people. Henry Standing Bear and others of the Lakota saw Mt. Rushmore, which honors American presidents, as an affront to their history on their ancient lands. They wanted a memorial in the Black Hills to one of their own who was a strong warrior, never signed a treaty and represented resistance to American expansion and domination. Chief Standing Bear also wanted to honor his cousin.

It is written that Crazy Horse refused to have his likeness taken with a camera. How did Korczak Ziolkowski determine the visage for the sculpture? Ziolkowski depended on the descriptions given to him by people who had met Crazy Horse over the course of his life. The memorial depicts the great leader riding upon his steed with his left hand stretching out in front of him pointing to the lands of his people where they now lie buried. When completed the massive work on Thunderhead Mountain will be 563 feet tall and 641 feet long, the largest in the world. 

Ziolkowski worked tirelessly, and mostly alone, on his project until his death at age 74. His work combines art, engineering, and geology. Some tools of his trade for this granite mountain were dynamite, survey instruments, tape measures, sledge hammers, a jackhammer (powered by Korczak’s second hand gas compressor “Old Buda”) and his bare hands. “Old Buda” was a friend and foe to the sculptor as she was unreliable and caused the artist many strenuous trips up and down 741 steps to restart the old behemoth. After Ziolkowski’s passing, his wife Ruth took over the project with the help of a number of their 10 children. Crews were put to work and gradually more modern tools, such as lasers, were used for the project. Korczak Ziolkowski rests at the base of his vision.

It’s a memorable moment to gaze upon the mammoth Crazy Horse Memorial project. You can take a bus to the base of the sculpture for an up close and personal glimpse of the massive monument. Visit the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Educational and Cultural Center, the sculptor’s log home and view the film in the Welcome Center. A trip to the Crazy Horse Memorial will provide a deeper understanding of the Native American culture and their rich history. Maybe you, too, will be crazy for Crazy Horse.

Barbara enjoys traveling as often as possible and delving into history along the way. She can be reached at [email protected].