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Pictorial history of
carving the Face

Click images to see larger versions

Ruth Ziolkowski poses before the uncarved face area of the Crazy Horse mountain sculpture in 1987. Click for larger view.

This April 1990 photo shows the progress on the emerging forehead of the Crazy Horse mountain carving. Click for larger view.

This Feb. 1991 photo shows the start of the eye openings and nose on the Crazy Horse mountain carving. Click for a larger view.

This June 1991 photo shows a blast on the right eye of the Crazy Horse mountain carving. Click for a larger view.

1987 Ruth Ziolkowski in front of the upper 70 feet
of Crazy Horse's "face" before detail work began on the nine-story-high face.
April 1990 Detail work and "polishing" had revealed much of the forehead.
February 1991 Work had begun on the eye openings and the nose
was beginning to take rough form.
June 1991 The 33' forehead had been shaped and the oval of the right eye was cut.

This Aug. 1993 photo shows the blast that clears the rock below the nose. Click for a larger view.

This July 1994 photo shows the blast on the left cheek of the Crazy Horse facial carving. Click for a larger view.

This Aug. 1996 photo shows a blast on the left cheekbone of the Crazy Horse mountain carving. Click for a larger view.

This June 1998 photo shows hikers on the Crazy Horse Volksmarch celebrating the completed face on the mountain carving. Click for a larger view.

August 1993 Crazy Horse's nose emerged in space during this famous blast, with eyelids shaped and pupils simulated.
July 1994 Blasting continued on the left
cheek with the nose and cheekbones shaped and work beginning on the lips.
August 1996 A 31-foot-
long stone pillar  was "shaved" off the face in
this 54-borehole blast as work progressed to the chin.
1998 Participants on the annual June hike up the mountain give size perspective to the completed face, dedicated June 3, 1998.
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