15 Facts About Peter Norbeck

Peter Norbeck was an American politician from South Dakota.

Peter Norbeck is best remembered as "Mount Rushmore's great political patron", for promoting the construction of the giant sculpture at Mount Rushmore and securing federal funding for it.

Peter Norbeck attended the public schools and the University of South Dakota at Vermillion.

Peter Norbeck moved to Redfield, South Dakota, in 1900 and added agricultural pursuits.

Peter Norbeck was a Freemason, and a member of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota.

On May 9,1908, Peter Norbeck ran for the South Dakota State Senate from Spink County.

In 1914, Peter Norbeck reluctantly accepted Governor Frank Byrne's invitation to run for Lieutenant Governor on the Republican ticket; they ended up winning.

Peter Norbeck served in that office from 1917 to 1921.

Peter Norbeck was re-elected to the Senate in 1926 and 1932.

Peter Norbeck made a number of contributions to South Dakota's tourism industry.

Peter Norbeck worked with sculptor Gutzon Borglum to help him create his huge sculpture at Mount Rushmore, convinced presidents Calvin Coolidge and Franklin D Roosevelt to support it, and shepherded multiple bills through Congress to provide federal funding for it.

Peter Norbeck encouraged the development of the Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills.

Peter Norbeck pushed for the development of Sylvan Lake, Needles Highway, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and the Game Sanctuary in the Black Hills.

Peter Norbeck died of cancer in Redfield, South Dakota, during his third term as United States Senator in 1936.

Peter Norbeck is interred at Bloomington Church Cemetery, Platte, South Dakota.