(Sculptor Gutzon) Borglum suggested that the subjects of the South Dakota work be George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as that would attract more national interest. He would later add Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt to the list, in recognition of their contributions to the birth of democracy and the growth of the United States. Mount Rushmore - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com Theodore Roosevelt represented the development of the nation. Mount Rushmore FAQs Other sources: