She stands on a pedestal along Route 40 and Route 66. A child clings to her homespun skirt as she holds a baby to her breast with one hand and a rifle in the other. Boots protect her feet and she wears a bonnet as she gazes at the Old National Trail. She is Madonna of the Trail. There are twelve of these statues in the United States, which celebrate the tenacity of pioneer women who struggled for a better life, but never gave up on a better life for themselves or their families, as they traveled along the National Old Trails Road, from California to Maryland. A project of the Daughters of the American Revolution in a partnership with the National Old Trails Road Associated, these statues were erected and dedicated over a year from 1928-29. Future President Harry S. Truman, President of the Old National Trails Association, with Arlene Moss, chair of the DAR, traveled across the country, to pick locations and dedicate the granite ladies. One of the Madonnas stands watch in Wheeling, West Virginia, a constant spotlight shines upon her face, perhaps so we may never forget their contribution to our nation.
These pioneer women gave up comfort and vanity to sojourn westward with their families, hope fed their growling stomachs and soothed their calloused feet. Hope for a better future, courage in the face of the unknown. What will fuel that hope and courage in our own hearts and minds? What is the catalyst that will make the women in this country strive for more--more innovations in healthcare and science, in education, and/or in family life? We have the most advanced resources than at our disposal than we have ever had in history. After the pioneer era, women in the early 20th century advocated for suffrage; in the 1960s, women joined conscious-raising groups to bring issues to the forefront. Before the 1960s, medical students were not as well educated on the female anatomy or women's health issues. Now we know that the symptoms of a heart attack differ in men and women. In 1983, Dr. Sally Ride became the first woman in space. In 1996, Kerri Strug vaulted a second time on her injured ankle and stuck the landing to secure the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team a first-time ever gold medal in the All-Around Competition with the 2012 Team winning the gold once more.
We have so many admirable women in our own lives, too: mothers, grandmothers, aunts, a friend's mother, teachers, doctors, and more. They studied and trained for their occupations, given us a much-needed push out of complacency and fear by leading encouragement and a listening ear, and in too may circumstances to county, sacrificed for us: their time, bodies, and personal interests. We can't let that legacy fade into obscurity, ladies. A fear that the automobile would overshadow the legacy of Old National Trails is the reason and inspiration behind the Madonna of the Trail. Eighty-five years later, they still stand, and look forward to what's next.
What is next? How can we contribute in our personal lives, our communities, and globally? We need to unite in sisterhood and support each other. We need to look yonder with hope fluttering in our stomachs and courage anchoring our feet to a new trail.
