SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — A house bill in Wyoming would seek to create a monument to America similar in size and scope to that of Mount Rushmore.
Wyoming lawmakers have introduced House Bill 106 that would create a task force to create a monument to America.
Wyoming Republican Rep. Steve Harshman, the principal sponsor, said Mount Rushmore was made to honor the nation’s 150th anniversary and he is seeking to do something similar to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“Here we are, 100 years ago to honor the first 150 years of our history and now 100 years later to do a similar thing to honor our 250 years of, of American liberty, so that’s the thought behind it,” Harshman told KELOLAND News.
According to the bill, the national monument and will feature important historical American figures and the possible monument to America “shall be similar in size and scope to the Mount Rushmore national monument.”
The text of bill says the monument would need to include important historical figures from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries including Native American leaders.
Six sponsors have filed House Bill 106, alling for $40,000 to establish a task force to recommend a monument by the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.
Harshman said he was inspired by Mount Rushmore to help create the newly proposed monument.
“I’ve been to Mount Rushmore many, many times and I know there’s controversy,” Harshman said. “I just thought it was such, 100 years ago, I think it was your state historian and then the South Dakota Legislature passed that bill that (said) ‘Hey, go out and find a spot for this kind of large monument,'” Harshman said.
If the bill passes through the Wyoming legislature they will then create an oversight task force which would consist of consist of the governor or the governor’s designee, tribal liaisons appointed by the governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of the Senate and any living former governor, former Speaker of the House of Representatives or former president of the Senate who agrees to participate in the task force.
The task force would be responsible for determining a location for the monument, develop plans and features for the monument and making recommendations for the development. If the bill passes the task force shall terminate June 30, 2027.
Harshman said the monument doesn’t have to necessarily have to be exactly like Mount Rushmore.
“You can see it’s pretty inclusive and we involved the university and state geologists and our native tribes,” Harshman said. “Maybe it turns out there’s different technology and it’s, it’s not a rock carving, I mean, maybe it’s a different type of monument.”
Harshman said if the bill passes they are hoping to have public input sessions so the public can communicate what they want on the monuments.
“I don’t think there’s like a concrete plan saying, these 4 guys or these 4 presidents or these, Native American leaders or any of that,” Harshman said. “I think it’s more to get together as we celebrate our 250 years and really kind of look at this thing and see, is there a spot in Wyoming that can complement the 2.5 million that go to Mount Rushmore visitors a year and the 4 million visitors that go to Yellowstone.”
Harshman added while they don’t have a concrete idea of where they would be placing the monument they have some ideas.
“Obviously education funding in Wyoming is always an issue, and because we’re so reliant on minerals, but the idea is to put it on a school section of land,” Harshman said. “It’s about 3 million acres in Wyoming are school sections and we can hopefully generate some revenue as well for the for our school children in perpetuity.”
Harshman said he’s unsure of the future of the bill, adding, it’s very difficult to pass a bill, but he would like to brainstorm on the potential opportunity.
“If it did pass, I think the group would get together and just start holding public meetings and brainstorm a little bit and I think partly start looking at locations, first of all, is this possible or what is the technology,” Harshman said “And then I think the other part would be who do you put on there or who, how does it work.”
