Date: February 24, 2014
Historical Site Number: 1028
Historical Site Name: Madonna of the Trail
Location: 1100 Block of North Euclid Avenue, Upland, CA
County: San Bernardino
Site History:
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.
My Thoughts:
I decided to go to the Madonna of the Trail first for two reasons: 1) It is close to my home. 2) Many times I myself have driven by this extremely busy intersection (Foothill Blvd. and Euclid Ave.), along with many others not even knowing that we are driving by this amazing piece of California History! So it was time to make a stop and really take the time to view and acknowledge this California history!
On the back of the base of the statue
On the side "Over this trail, November 1828, Jedediah Smith, seeking a river flowing westward, led a band of sixteen trappers, the first Americans to enter California over land."
On the other side "This trail trod by the Padres in Spanish days became under Mexican rule. The road connecting San Bernardino and Los Angeles later the American post road."