Have you ever wondered why Mount Rushmore was built? (To honor American history and get people to visit South Dakota!) Or how Mount Rushmore was built? (Lots and lots of dynamite!) Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a famous American landmark. The faces of four influential presidents were carved into the side of a mountain using dynamite! The faces are about 60 feet high, the height of a six-story building, and are maintained by trained mountain climbers.