Madonna of the Trail, (sculpture).

Madonna of the Trail, (sculpture).

Leimbach, Auguste, 1882-1965, sculptor.

Madonna of the Trail, (sculpture).

Copyrighted 1928. Dedicated July 4, 1928. Relocated 1956. Rededicated July 4, 2003. Relocated Sept. 22, 2011.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: approx. H. 10 ft.; Base: approx. H. 6 ft. (17 tons).

(On front of base:) MADONNA OF THE TRAIL/N.S.D.A.R. MEMORIAL/PIONEER MOTHERS/OF THE/COVERED WAGON DAYS (On south side of base:) THE NATIONAL ROAD/ COMPLETED BY THE/FEDERAL GOVERNMENT/TO THIS POINT IN 1839/FROM THIS POINT WESTWARD/BUILT BY THE STATES THROUGH/WHICH IT PASSES. (North side:) "THREE MILES SOUTHWEST OF HERE/GENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARK/COMMANDING/KENTUCKY FRONTIERSMEN/VANQUISHED THE SHAWNEE/CONFEDERACY AUGUST 8, 1870/RESULTING IN OPENING THE/NORTHWEST TERRITORY." signed

Figure of a pioneer woman cradling a child in her proper left arm. A young boy stands at her proper right side. She wears a dress, bonnet, and boots, and carries a walking stick in her proper right hand.

Figure group -- Family -- Mother & Child

History -- United States -- Westward Expansion

Allegory -- Life -- Womanhood

Dress -- Historic -- Pioneer Dress

Outdoor Sculpture -- Ohio -- Springfield

Administered by Ohio Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Lagonda Chapter, 1311 West Main Street, Springfield, Ohio 45504

Located National Road Commons, 50 West Main Street, Springfield, Ohio 45502

Formerly located Ohio Masonic Home, Springfield, Ohio 1928-1956.

Located Snyder Park, Route 4 & 40, Springfield, Ohio 1928-2011

One of twelve similar monuments erected in each of the 12 states through which the National Old Trails Road (U.S. Route 40) passes. The sculpture commemorates pioneer women and was erected by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). The idea for such a tribute originated in 1916; and a DAR committee was formed in 1922 under Mrs. John Trigg Moss (St. Louis, MO). She and her son came up with the design for the statue, inspired by the Indian guide Sacajawea. August Leimbach created and cast the sculpture. The sculpture in Springfield was the first to be installed and was originally located on the ten-acre park surrounding the Ohio Masonic Home. The sculpture was moved to Snyder Park in 1956 to make way for the expansion of U. S. Route 40. On Sept. 22, 2011 the sculpture was moved to a new green space known as the National Road Commons. IAS image files show the sculpture located at Snyder Park. IAS files contain fact sheet from the NSDAR, excerpts from a booklet about the Madonna of the Trail monuments.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Ohio survey, 1994.

Campen, Richard N., "Outdoor Sculpture in Ohio," Chagrin Falls, Ohio: West Summit Press, 1980.

SOS Assessment Award, 1998.

Smith, Richard P., Mrs., 1999, 2001, 2003, 2012.

Springfield News Sun, April 12, 1999, pg. 1-7.

Inventory staff, 2000.

SOS Conservation Treatment Award, 2001.

Springfield News Sun, Oct. 8, 2011.

Campen, Richard N., "Outdoor Sculpture in Ohio," Chagrin Falls, Ohio: West Summit Press, 1980, pg. 117.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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