Mary's Story

"Mary's Story" begins in 1874. Born to missionaries living in Turkey, Mary Borglum (nee Montgomery) was raised abroad before returning to the United States to attend high school.

At a time when few women attended college, Mary graduated from Wellesley and left the United States to study further in Berlin, where she became the first American to earn a degree in Assyriology, as well as one of the first women to earn any degree from Berlin University.

Throughout her years abroad, she often wrote letters home to her brothers sharing stories of her successes and struggles. Drawn from Mary's personal correspondence, as well as other historical references, "Mary's Story" is an insightful look into the life of an educated nineteenth-century woman.

Though later she would more commonly be known as Gutzon Borglum's wife, Mary's life was already rich with experiences before she met the famous Mount Rushmore sculptor on the boat ride home from Berlin. And, while much has been said about Gutzon and his masterpieces, Robin Borglum Kennedy's book instead celebrates the early life of her grandmother Mary. Offering an insider perspective on a remarkable woman, this authoritative biography honors Mary's considerable contributions to society and her family.