Mt. Rushmore Lighting
The Avenue of Flags at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial is a 250’ alee’ of 14 columns flying flags of all fifty states and six territories. It connects the International Visitor Complex to the sculpture’s Grand Terrace. Wyss Associates, Inc. was the prime consultant and lighting designer for the project. Wyss collaborated with an interagency team, consisting of members from Mt. Rushmore National Memorial Society, the National Park Service, and Electrical Design Consultants; the project’s Electrical Engineer.
Project challenges included a limited budget and limited amperage availability, as well as an adamant need for an inconspicuous solution consistent with the site’s architecture. The owner also desired a low-maintenance approach that addressed security challenges.
Construction combined the efforts of electricians and National Park Service masons to retrofit the granite columns. Mounting heights limit vandalism, and ballasts are easily accessed as part of the fixtures. The fixtures were mounted flush, while electrical supply lines were concealed within the columns, preserving architectural lines.
The final product became the sites’ “second most photographed feature”; enhancing the patriotic visitor experience while increasing international public exposure to the science of outdoor lighting. The lighted alee’ is viewed by up to 3000 people every evening.