Who is doane robinson

Realizing that the best information comes directly from the source, Robinson talked to miners, soilders, Indians, homesteaders, missionaries and many others who were significant in the early years of Dakota. Whenever possible, he saved the papers and artifacts of the people who lived in Dakota. He was a primary figure in the study of South Dakota history. He spent over 25 years studying all aspects of South Dakota history, emphasizing the La Verendryes and the Sioux Indians.

His manuscript collection is now an invaluable source of historical information. His sister could not pronounce his name and called him "Doane" when young, and he continued to use this name throughout his life. Robinson first became a farmer in Minnesota. He soon abandoned that work to become a lawyer, reading law with an established firm to prepare for the bar. He moved to South Dakota, where he set up his practice in Pierre, the state capital.

Later, he took interest in history, and began to publish work about South Dakota history. He was eventually appointed as South Dakota's state historian. In that position, Robinson conceived the idea of the Mt. Rushmore monument to attract tourism to the Black Hills area. After reading about Stone Mountain near Atlanta, Georgia, Robinson was inspired to create a sculpture project at the Needles, to have several granite pillars carved as likenesses of famous people.

Borglum liked to move ahead without much thought about costs, while Robinson insisted on budgetary constraint. He was happy to pretty much leave the project in , content in knowing his role as instigator had been successful.

Robinson was back at the mountain on July 4, , as a speaker when the Washington head was dedicated. He was 73 and had retired as State Historical Society Secretary six years earlier. In the s Robinson had more time for his walks and young friends on Wynoka Street, and he kept writing. Unlike Borglum and Norbeck, he lived long enough to see Mount Rushmore in its final form.

He also saw his son Will become head of the State Historical Society in Doane Robinson lived a few weeks past his 90th birthday and his grandson recalls his mind and memories were as sharp as ever toward the end.

To order a copy or to subscribe , call Robinson fell in love with a spot he saw while traveling on the Crouch railroad line. He named it Hisega, and soon build a lodge there featuring a wraparound porch. Photo by Paul Horsted Of course, Jennie matured. Beadle, Civil War veteran and pioneering educator who championed South Dakota School and Public Lands for generating public education funds: Man of vision! Man of mission, Patriot, soldier, scholar, seer.

Man of action! Man of purpose! Duty led in thy career. After the town of Gary lost its status as the seat of Deuel County, Robinson urged the state to locate the School for the Blind there. It once housed the state's history museum. Robinson dreamed of carving into Black Hills mountains.

Newspapermen called the idea ridiculous, but Robinson partnered with Gutzon Borglum and history was made. Photo by S. Tourism Of course, when it comes to tangible legacies, nothing tops Mount Rushmore Memorial. Robyn Relf Hofland said:.

Laura Robinson de Sherbinin said:. As a great granddaughter of Doane Robinson I was thrilled to read this article on him. Doane's eldest son, Harry, was my grandfather. It brought my great grandfather to life and furnished details of his life unknown to me before. Photograph of Mt. Rushmore appears with the gracious permission of Rich Riedel. Rushmore, who visited the Black Hills in and finding that a local prospector did not have a name for the 6, foot peak, called it, perhaps jokingly, Mount Rushmore.

Or, so the story goes. Rushmore National Memorial Photograph of Mt. Strangers to Us All.