Madonna of the Trail is a series of 12 identical monuments dedicated to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States.
The monuments were commissioned by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) during the administration of President General Grace Lincoln Hall Brosseau.
Arlene Nichols Moss, NSDAR Commission Chairperson, was inspired by Portland, Oregon’s 1905 "Sacajawea" monument.
The Madonna of the Trail monuments were intended to provide a symbol of the courage and faith of the women whose strength and love aided so greatly in conquering the wilderness and establishing permanent homes.
On June 2, 2020, the Upland, California Madonna of the Trail monument was the site of a Black Lives Matter protest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
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.