Madonna of the Trail
American monuments to pioneer women
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Madonna of the Trail is a series of 12 identical monuments to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States. The monuments were commissioned in the late 1920s by the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) under president Grace Lincoln Hall Brosseau. They were installed in the 12 states along the National Old Trails Road, which extended from Cumberland, Maryland, to Upland, California.
| Madonna of the Trail | |
|---|---|
Albuquerque Madonna | |
 Interactive map of Madonna of the Trail | |
| History | |
| Built | September 27, 1928 |
| Site notes | |
| Architect | August Leimbach |
| Designated | March 21, 2006 |
| Madonna of the Trail California Historical Monument | |
|---|---|
 Madonna of the Trail, 1928 | |
  Location within California | |
| 34°06′26″N 117°39′04″W | |
| Location | North Euclid Avenue, Upland, California |
| History | |
| Built | 1929 |
| Site notes | |
| Architect | August Leimbach |
| Designated | November 7, 1998 |
| Reference no. | 1028 |
In 1911, the NSDAR established a committee to honor pioneer women. An initial plan for painted mileage markers along the route was abandoned in favor of pioneer mother statues. Arlene Nichols Moss, NSDAR commission chairperson, was inspired by Portland, Oregon’s 1905 "Sacajawea" monument. The NSDAR commissioned sculptor August Leimbach to create the statues. The image is now owned by Kevin Karl, Leimbach's great-grandson. Each statue is 10 feet high, weighs 5 tons and is made of Missouri granite. The National Old Trails Road Association (NOTR) was created to study the trails and select routes to designate. Judge (and later U.S. President) Harry S. Truman led the NOTR and spoke at the first monument dedication in 1928.
The Madonna of the Trail monuments were intended to commemorate the courage and faith of the women who helped conquer the wilderness and establish permanent homes. Through the continuing efforts of local and national groups, all are currently in good condition and on display.
History
Some Madonna of the Trail monuments have become community landmarks.
On June 2, 2020, the Upland, California Madonna of the Trail monument was the site of a Black Lives Matter protest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.[1]
Locations
There is one monument in each of the 12 states along the National Old Trails Highway (much of which later became U.S. Highway 40 and U.S. Highway 66).[2] The monuments, in order of dedication, are:
| State | Image | Location | Dedicated | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland |  |
Bethesda
Wisconsin Ave. and Old Georgetown Rd. |
Has long been the only one facing east. In December 2004, the statue was temporarily removed to repair its foundation. An alert reporter for the Washington Post noted that as it was placed on the flatbed truck, the Madonna faced west, believed to be the first time all 12 have done so.[3] | |
| Pennsylvania |  |
Beallsville
US Rt. 40, across from Nemacolin Country Club,12 mi. E of Washington, PA |
||
| West Virginia |  |
Wheeling
US Rt. 40, across from Overlook Condominium |
July 7, 1928[4] | Contributing structure in the National Road Corridor Historic District |
| Ohio |  |
Springfield
US Rt. 40 - 38 W Main Street |
Ohio's Madonna was moved in 2011 to the new National Road Commons park in downtown Springfield. The statue faces south for better visibility on Main Street (Route 40).[5] | |
| Indiana |  |
Richmond
Glenn Miller Park, US 40 East and N 22 St. |
||
| Illinois |  |
Vandalia
SW corner of the Old State House |
||
| Missouri |  |
Lexington
Main St. and Jack's Ford Rd. |
||
| Kansas |  |
Council Grove
Union and Main St. |
September 7, 1928 | Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Council Grove statue is one of three along the Santa Fe Trail route. Council Grove was chosen for a statue in part due to its historic connections to the trail and in part because the town planned to build a memorial park around the statue.[6] |
| Colorado |  |
Lamar
S Main St. and Beech St. |
||
| New Mexico | |
Albuquerque
4th and Marble NW |
September 27, 1928 | Listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Originally located in McClellan Park, it was moved in 1996 when the park was demolished to build the Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse. After restoration work, the monument was installed at the northwest corner of the courthouse grounds, where it was rededicated on September 27, 1998.[7][8][9] |
| Arizona |  |
Springerville
US Rt. 60 (Main St.) across from Post Office |
||
| California | |
Upland
Center divider on Euclid Avenue just north of Foothill Boulevard |
Marker in Upland reads:
Dedicated in 1929, the Madonna of the Trail is one of twelve identical statues placed in twelve states by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The statues, differentiated by the inscriptions on their bases, commemorate the westward move of American civilization on a series of trails, which eventually linked the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They especially pay tribute to the importance of a national highway and the role of pioneer women. The statue was designed by German-born architectural sculptor August Leimbach and inspired by a statue of Sacagawea in Portland, Oregon. The Upland monument is said to represent four historic trails: the Mojave Trail, the de Anza Trail, the Emigrant Trail, and the Canyon Road. [10] |
Images
Further reading
- Bauer, Fern Ioula (1984). The Historic Treasure Chest of the Madonna of the Trail Monuments. Springfield, Ohio: J. McEnaney Print. ASIN B0006EG8TM.
- Prescott, Cynthia C. (Summer 2021). Turpie, David C. (ed.). "Myth, Memory, and the Limits of Inclusivity in Arizona Pioneer Monuments". Journal of Arizona History. 62 (2). Tucson, AZ: Arizona Historical Society: 173–206. ISSN 0021-9053.
See also
