
1933, National Park Service
As construction continued and New Deal money was applied to fund the construction of Mount Rushmore, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6166. This placed Mount Rushmore National Memorial squarely within the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, giving the government direct oversight into the project. Oversight which was not welcomed by Gutzon Borglum. (U.S. National Park Service) The artist began to attempt to gain unquestioned control over the project, even as the National Park Service sent engineer Julian Spotts to the work site to investigate proceedings there. Spotts made several adjustments to the work site and is generally credited with having improved the overall workplace conditions and efficiency.