Why did Mount Rushmore never get finished?

Answer 1

The heads of the four presidents were all completed by 1941. The original plan was to have them carved from head to waist, however lack of funds forced a change to just the heads. The outline of Washington's coat is visible on the sculpture, as well as part of Lincoln's hand.

Mt. Rushmore never got finished because Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, died. His son, Lincoln, took over, but funding ran out.

Answer 2

Several reasons:

1) The granite was not as suitable for carving as Borglum had hoped. Further dynamiting would have caused instability in the rest of the work.

2) The project lost its government funding.

3) Russel Borglum died in 1941.