Fireworks light up the big show

Fire in their eyes: A national gathering of red, white & blue

By Sarah Reinecke, Journal staff | Friday, July 04, 2008

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Danielle Peterson has never missed a fireworks show at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Wearing American flag contact lenses, patriotic Crocs and a patriotic hat, Peterson said she loves the Fourth of July and everything about it.

"I love Mount Rushmore. This is my favorite place in the world to be," said Peterson of Manhattan, Ill.

Of the 11 Rushmore fireworks shows, this for her will be even more special. She gathered with her fiance, Jim Sowinski, her entire bridal party, friends and family to watch the fireworks on the eve of her wedding at Sylvan Lake.

As for getting to watch the fireworks with her loved ones and being able to get married on the Fourth of July, she got tears in her eyes.

"I can't even describe it. I'm delighted. This is amazing," said Peterson, who originally is from the Rapid City area. "This always makes me emotional here. I love Mount Rushmore. I wanted our family to be able to see this amazing fireworks display, so we incorporated the weekend, and it happened that the Fourth of July was available for our wedding day."

In her scrapbook she can write they were in a record crowd. Superintendent Gerard Baker estimated more than 30,000 people were in and around the memorial for the fireworks, “way more than last year.”

The half-hour program launched on time into a clear sky. Haze from Canadian fires that limited visibility elsewhere in the Hills didn’t reach Rushmore all day.

Baker said the memorial’s parking structure closed by 1 p.m., and walkers streamed from Keystone all day, as late as a half-hour before the show.

Shawn Faulker of Goshen, Ind., and his friends were among the hikers. He said they had planned for two years to get here, and were thrilled to see scenes featured in last year’s “National Treasure 2” movie along the way. But seeing Rushmore and its fireworks was even better.

“It was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” he said.

Pat Joyce, of Dawson, Minn., grilled elk burgers for his wife and friends near the memorial's parking garage while waiting for the fireworks show. His was the last car let in the parking garage before the show. He followed his wife and two friends, who were on motorcycles, and after him, the gate closed.

Joyce said he felt lucky to get a parking spot, which saved his group a three-mile hike from Keystone.

"I didn't think it was going to be this large. It's a huge crowd, which is really neat," Joyce said.

Mila Mason of North Carolina and her family weren't so fortunate. Mason, her husband and two kids had to hike to Mount Rushmore from Keystone. She said they went to Bear Country on Thursday morning, and by the time they got to Mount Rushmore, about 11 a.m., there were no parking spots available. That surprised the first-timers to the Rushmore fireworks display.

But after contemplating staying in Keystone to watch the fireworks, they opted to take the hike.

"We are still young enough and healthy enough; we'd be sissies if we didn't try it," Mason said. "I think it's really neat. People have come from all over. I've seen license plates from all over the country -- so many -- East Coast, West Coast, everything."

Title: Mount Rushmore Fireworks Date: July 3rd, 2008 Tens of thousands of people traveled to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills for the Independence Day weekend to take in the annual fireworks show. VIEW PRESENTATION »