Statue # 1: George Washington

Rapid City, South Dakota

Second only to Lincoln as a presidential statue subject, George Washington (1789-1797) presents a challenge to any sculptor trying to capture his personality, especially since Washington was famously formal and tight-lipped (He had notoriously bad teeth). What can an artist do with someone like that? Lee Leuning depicted him in his Revolutionary War general's outfit, with a hand resting on his sword. One gimmick: if you look at Washington from the side, you'll see that he has exactly the same face and hair as on the one dollar bill.

Amazing Arcana of the Presidents

Washington spent seven of his presidential years in Philadelphia -- then the U.S. Capitol -- where the law freed any enslaved person who remained more than six months. So Washington rotated them back and forth between Philly and his Virginia plantation.

[Discover more fascinating details in the Roadside Presidents iPhone app!]

City of Presidents

Since 2000, Rapid City has commissioned and installed bronze statues of every former U.S. President on its downtown street corners. Visitors are encouraged to take a walking tour of the City of Presidents and inspect the nation's metallic Commanders in Chief. Paper guides are available year-round at the city's main Visitor Center at 512 Main St.