Madonna of the Trail
Madonna of the Trail is a series of 12 monuments dedicated to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States. The monuments were commissioned by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). The monuments were built in each of the 12 states on the National Old Trails Road from Cumberland, Maryland, to Upland, California.
| Madonna of the Trail | |
|---|---|
 Albuquerque Madonna | |
| Location | Marble Ave. and 4th St. Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Built | September 27, 1928 |
| Architect | August Leimbach |
| Designated | March 21, 2006 |
| Reference no. | 06000151 |
| Madonna of the Trail California Historical Monument | |
|---|---|
 Madonna of the Trail, 1928 | |
| Location | North Euclid Avenue, Upland, California |
| Coordinates | 34°06′26″N 117°39′04″W / 34.1071694°N 117.6512444444°W |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | August Leimbach |
| Designated | November 7, 1998 |
| Reference no. | 1028 |
  Location of Madonna of the Trail California Historical Monument in California | |
The monuments were created by sculptor August Leimbach. The Madonna of the Trail monuments were meant to be symbols of the courage of the women who aided in conquering the wilderness and creating permanent homes. The statues were dedicated in 1928 and 1929. They have became sources of local pride. All of the monuments are currently in good condition and on display.
Locations change
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).[1] The monuments in order of dedication are:
| State | Image | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 
|
Bethesda
Wisconsin Ave. and Old Georgetown Rd. |
Was the only statue facing east. In December 2004, the statue was removed to fix a foundation problem. When it was put on the truck, the Madonna faced west. This us believed to be the first time all 12 statues have faced west.[2] |
| 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 |
Dedicated on July 7, 1928.[3] Contributing structure in the National Road Corridor Historic District |
| Ohio | 
|
Springfield
US Rt. 40 - Snyder's Park. Placed some ten blocks from the National Old Trails Highway |
Ohio's Madonna was relocated in 2011 to downtown Springfield. The statue is facing south so it can be seen better from Main Street (Route 40).[4] |
| Indiana | 
|
Richmond
Glenn Miller Park, US 40 East and N 22 St. |
|
| Illinois | 
|
Vandalia
SE corner of the Old State House |
|
| Missouri | 
|
Lexington
Main St. and Jack's Ford Rd. |
|
| Kansas | 
|
Council Grove
Union and Main St. |
Dedicated on September 7, 1928. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of three along the Santa Fe Trail route. |
| Colorado | 
|
Lamar
S Main St. and Beech St. |
|
| New Mexico |
|
Albuquerque
4th and Marble NW |
Dedicated on September 27, 1928. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was removed from McClellan Park in 1996 when the park was demolished to build the Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse. The monument was moved to a new site at the northwest corner of the courthouse grounds. It was rededicated on September 27, 1998.[5][6][7] |
| Arizona | 
|
Springerville
US Rt. 60 (Main St.) across from Post Office |
|
| California |
|
Upland
Center divider on Euclid Avenue just north of Foothill Boulevard |
Dedicated in 1929[8] |
References change
- ↑ Kirby, Doug (12 May 2006). "Mother Roads: A guide to U.S. mom-uments". NBC News. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ↑ Barr, Cameron W. (2004-12-11). "Listing Madonna Rescued in Bethesda". The Washington Post.
- ↑ "Dedication of the Madonna of the Trails Monument". Wheeling Daily News. 1928-07-07.
- ↑ "Madonna of the Trail". Touring Ohio. Ohio City Productions.
- ↑ Sanders, Jeffrey C. (2004). McClellan Park: The Life and Death of an Urban Green Space. Albuquerque: The Albuquerque Museum.
- ↑ Steinberg, David (June 26, 1998). "Spirit of pioneer women lives on". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
- ↑ "New Mexico Madonna of the Trail". National Park Service.
- ↑ Delja, Beatrice; Delja, Denis. "CHL No. 1028 Madonna of the Trail - San Bernadino". California Historical Landmarks. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-27.