Four miles north of Custer on Highway 16 / 385 , Crazy Horse Memorial ® is in existence to honor all Indigenous people of North America . American Indian history and cultures are shared through museums , cultural programs , and the world ’ s largest Mountain Carving in progress .
The Crazy Horse Memorial ® dream began in 1939 when Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear asked sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to create a memorial to pay tribute to American Indians and the world would know “ the red man has great heroes , also .” Standing Bear and others carefully choose Lakota warrior Crazy Horse to be the subject of the Mountain Sculpture .
On June 3 , 1948 , the first blast took place on the Mountain with five survivors of the Battle of Little Bighorn among the spectators . Korczak and Henry Standing Bear decided the Carving would be the centerpiece of the Memorial ’ s educational and humanitarian goals . Furthermore , Ziolkowski declared that it would be a project “ for the people and by the people ,” turning down large amounts of government funding offers . Still today , the Memorial operates solely on donations and charitable contributions from visitors and those who believe in the project .
In the early years , Korczak , his wife Ruth , and their ten children were responsible for Mountain progress and operations at the visitor center . The Ziolkowski family operated additional businesses , including a dairy farm and sawmill , at Crazy Horse to be able to support a large family and to carry on the noble cause of the project . Together , Korczak and Ruth prepared detailed books laying out the future plans of the Memorial .
In 1982 Korczak passed away at the age of 74 , leaving Ruth and the children with the task of continuing the work . As Ruth took the lead as President / CEO , the important decision was made to shift focus to Crazy Horse ’ s Face , whereas Korczak planned to work on the Horse ’ s Head . The June 3 , 1998 dedication of Crazy Horse ’ s Face proved this a good decision as onlookers gathered to see the profile against the Black Hills sky . Later , Ruth led as Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation realized another important goal ; opening The Indian University of North America ® in 2010 .
In 2014 , Ruth passed away but had laid the groundwork to ensure the Memorial was in good hands which included Ziolkowski family members , a dedicated Board of Directors , and talented management and staff .
Today , there continues to be growth in all areas of the Memorial ; The Indian University of North America ®, the Museums , and the Mountain Carving . Recent progress on the planned 641 ’ long , 563 ’ tall sculpture includes finish work on Crazy Horse ’ s Left Hand and rock removal on the Horse ’ s Mane . In addition , the
Carvers have been focused on rock removal on the backside of Crazy Horse ’ s Arm in preparation for the arrival of the Industrial Tower Crane and robotic arm .
Although the Mountain Carving is the centerpiece of the project , able to be seen even from the highway , there is much more to see within the multi-building visitor center . The Indian Museum of
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