Among a small group of friends, conversation recently turned to whose face or faces they would put on a personal “Mount Rushmore.” That is, who are the individuals or icons that have most influenced their lives and deserve to be depicted as 60-foot-tall faces carved in granite into a mountainside? In a lighthearted thought experiment of this sort, the answers might range from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Taylor Swift or even a cartoon character such as SpongeBob SquarePants.

On a more reflective note, we might think of close friends, family members, teachers, and mentors who have shaped our lives—individuals worthy of our gratitude and praise, but probably not ideal to immortalize in stone.

When Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg was mentioned, another thought experiment came to mind: What if the figures on Mount Rushmore were women? Four who come to mind are Susan B. Anthony, Abigail Adams, Sacagawea, and Sojourner Truth. There are many more; how would we choose just four?

For that matter, how were the faces on the actual Mount Rushmore chosen? According to the National Park Service, sculptor Gutzon Borglum chose the presidents who represented the most important events in the history of the United States.

George Washington was our first president, representing the founding of our nation. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, represented expansion; he purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, doubling the size of our country. Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th president, represented development. He helped negotiate construction of the Panama Canal and was known as the “trust buster” for his work to end large corporate monopolies and ensure the rights of the common working man. Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, represents the preservation of the union, and he oversaw the abolition of slavery.

National Geographic reports that the creation of the monument was controversial. “Sculpted on sacred Native American land by a man with ties to the Ku Klux Klan, Mount Rushmore National Memorial was fraught with controversy even before it was completed on Oct. 31, 1941.”

Nonetheless, the National Park Service notes it is seen by over 2 million visitors a year. “Mount Rushmore has grown in fame as a symbol of America – a symbol of freedom and hope for people from all cultures and backgrounds.”

There seems to be a space between Roosevelt and Lincoln for a “fifth face” on Mount Rushmore. If you had to choose, whose face would you add?

Susan Thacker is the managing editor of the Great Bend Tribune. Contact her at sthacker@gbtribune.com.