borglum8

Nothing Else in History Approaches This Memorial

After studying the mountain for days, examining its contours from all angles and making many measurements, he produced the plan of utilizing the whole enormous sweep of the precipice as the background not of a single statue of Robert E. Lee, but of a great panorama in which would be portrayed the entire military forces of the Confederacy.

Publication of Mr. Borglum's report to the U.D.C. ladies attracted attention throughout the country and across the seas. In all the history of art there had never been produced a thing so great, so splendid, so daring, so indestructible and imperishable. The nearest approach to it was the dream of Alexander the Great of transforming Mount Athos into a sculptured monument to his vainglorious conquests.

A movement was started to raise the fund to carry into effect Mr. Borglum's plan, but the European War intervened and the United States was drawn into it, and the period of reconstruction followed, so it was not until April, 1923, that an opportune moment presented itself to begin definite work.

Meanwhile, there had been organized and chartered the Stone Mountain Confederate Monumental Association Mr. Samuel Hoyt Venable and his family, who own Stone Mountain, had generously made a deed of gift covering the northern side of the mountain to be used for the purpose of carving the Memorial.