End of the Trail
N 35° 32.133 W 097° 28.983
14S E 637521 N 3933494
The End of the Trail sculpture is one of the most recognized symbols of the American West.
Waymark Code: WMFEZ
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 06/22/2006
Views: 100
This lone figure on his weary horse is one of the most recognized symbols of the American West. Many view it as a reverent memorial to a great and valiant people. To some Native Americans, however, it is viewed as a reminder of defeat and subjugation a century ago. The monumental, 18' plaster sculpture was created for San Francisco's 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and received the exposition's Gold Medal for sculpture. The subject of immediate popular acclaim, the image was widely reproduced in postcard, print, curio and miniature form.
Although Fraser hoped his masterpiece would be cast in bronze and placed on Presidio Point overlooking San Francisco Bay, material restrictions during the First World War made the project impossible. Instead, in 1920, the city of Visalia, California, obtained the discarded statue and placed it in Mooney Park, where it remained, in a gradually deteriorating condition, for 48 years. In 1968, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum acquired this original plaster statue, restored it to its original magnificence, and made it a focal point of the museum.
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