SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Officials in South Dakota are actively pursuing the construction of President Donald Trump's proposed National Garden of American Heroes in the Black Hills, near Mount Rushmore. The endeavor has faced significant opposition from Indigenous groups who consider the area sacred.
A mining company, Pete Lien & Sons, has offered to donate 40 acres (16 hectares) of land located less than a mile from Mount Rushmore, which features colossal granite sculptures of four esteemed U.S. presidents. South Dakota's Republican Governor, Larry Rhoden, expressed support for the initiative, stating in a letter to Trump that the Black Hills provide an ideal backdrop for the garden, combining a tribute to America's heroes with the region's natural beauty.
The Black Hills, however, are historically contentious territory between South Dakota and its Indigenous tribes. The 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie recognized the land as belonging to the Sioux people, but the U.S. government confiscated it within a decade for gold mining. A 1980 Supreme Court ruling acknowledged the violation of the treaty, but the tribes declined the $1.3 billion compensation, opting instead to retain their claim to the land.
Indigenous groups are also raising concerns about a drilling project by Pete Lien & Sons, which is exploring graphite extraction near Pe' Sla, a site sacred to the Lakota people. Additionally, the company is collaborating with theme park designer Storyland Studios to create an attraction in the Black Hills, a venture met with criticism from Indigenous activists. Taylor Gunhammer, an organizer with the advocacy group NDN Collective, denounced the alleged destruction of Pe' Sla, accusing Storyland Studios and Governor Rhoden of disregarding historical preservation while permitting such developments.
Rhoden's press secretary, Josie Harms, stated that the garden would not disrupt state or tribal lands because the proposed site is privately owned by Chuck Lien and his family. Meanwhile, Pete Lien & Sons has not responded to multiple media inquiries regarding the project.
Trump's vision for the garden includes 250 life-size statues to honor historical figures, coinciding with the United States' 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Although applications for sculptors are due by early July, the completion timeline has been postponed. The U.S. House has allocated $40 million for the project, which is under the oversight of the Department of Interior and the National Endowment for the Humanities, while Senate approval for the funding remains pending.
The initiative was initially announced by Trump during a speech at Mount Rushmore on July 3, 2020, at a time marked by protests against historical statues amid the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump characterized the ongoing efforts to dismantle monuments as an attack on American values and culture. The project has seen renewed interest following a 2021 executive order wherein Trump proposed a range of figures for representation, including figures like Amelia Earhart, Muhammad Ali, and more controversial historical characters such as Christopher Columbus and President Andrew Jackson.
The Department of Interior is still in the planning phase for the revived garden project and has not specified potential sites under consideration. It is also unclear if any other states are interested in hosting the garden.
During her tenure as governor, Kristi Noem had previously offered land for the garden, and her successor, Rhoden, reiterated this offer, highlighting its proximity to Mount Rushmore. South Dakota Republican U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson has also expressed his commitment to advocating for the garden's establishment in the Black Hills.
In light of ongoing tensions, Darren Thompson, director of media relations for the Indigenous nonprofit Sacred Defense Fund, has called for more constructive dialogue with Indigenous groups regarding the land’s cultural significance and history. He emphasized the necessity of engaging local Indigenous communities with claims and cultural ties to the land in discussions about the garden's future and related projects.
