PIERRE, S.D. (KCCR) – Could the four faces affixed on Mount Rushmore someday be looking down over the State Capitol Complex in Pierre? Governor Kristi Noem Chief of Staff Tony Venhuizen presented the idea to the Capitol Complex Restoration and Beautification Commission last week.  Venhuizen says statue alcoves were built into the Rotunda and Capitol dome.

Venhuizen says the idea is very new.

The statues, to fit properly, would be larger than life size at around nine to ten feet tall. Venhizen is on the Trail of Governor’s Board. A bronze Trail of Governor’s statue is around six feet tall and costs approximately $72,000 each. He says the possible cost of the Capitol dome statues has been explored.

Venhuizen guessed that fundraising for the statues would take about a year.