Madonna of the Trail - Council Grove KS - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

The Madonna of the Trail statue, dedicated to the pioneer women of the plains, was funded by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). They were placed in each of the 12 states along the National Old Trails Highway that extended from Bethesda, Maryland, to Upland, California. The Kansas statue was awarded to Council Grove as having the most interesting history of any town in the State.

The 12-foot statue is a full-length, standing female figure, in pioneer clothing, with a long dress, boots, a sunbonnet, and a shawl. In her left arm, she holds an infant, and in her right hand she holds the top of the barrel of a rifle with the butt resting on the ground. A little boy stands at her side with his left hand on the rifle and his right hand holding the front of her dress. At their feet is a bed of cactus and large leaves.
This monument was dedicated on September 7, 1928. Each original sculpture cost $1,000.

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Madonna of the Trail Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: August Leimbach Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: Sept. 7, 1928 Materials used: algonite — a cement like mixture comprised of crushed marble and granite Location: small park on East Main Street at North Union Street

Visit Instructions:
Please upload at least one photo you have personally taken of the sculpture and tell us a little about your impressions of the piece. Additional photos are always appreciated.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   03/12/2011 PeterNoG visited it