The Madonna of the Trail Gets a Facelift

Russ Baldwin | Aug 22, 2013 | Comments 0

The Daughters of the American Revolution, using grant funding helped secure an overhaul for Lamar’s Madonna of the Trail last week, beginning Wednesday, August 14. Earlier this summer, the DAR informed the Lamar City Council they would be in town for several days in either late August or early September, repairing some cracks and giving the statue a thorough cleaning. The statue is located at the intersection of East Beech and South Main Streets in Lamar.

Chris Ruth, DAR representative from Greeley, CO said S.I. Memorials, a refurbishment company from Kansas, works exclusively with monuments of this nature, including the national cemetery in Arlington, VA. Ruth said, “We’ve been taking off all the accumulated grime and are using a powdered granite aggregate to fill in some hairline cracks that have developed over the years.” Black ore and mortar are ingredients used in the process and the final touch will be an epoxy polymer that covers the statue from top to bottom, protecting it from wind, rain and sun. Onlookers will notice that the statue is now darker than before because of the coating.

“This will be an application that lasts a lifetime,” she told Vincent Gearhart of The Prowers Journal, who was on hand for some of the cleaning process. Ruth added, “Did you know we found a bullet hole in her back?” The DAR member said additional materials were added to fill in the quarter inch deep hole that measured just less than three inches in diameter. No one knows where that came from.

Twelve statues were cast, not carved from rock, Ruth explained, and the one for Lamar was erected on September 24, 1928. “Of the 12 that were erected along the Santa Fe Trail, this statue is in better shape than most, especially compared to those back east that have been subject to mold and salts from a more moist climate,” she said. The statue is in four sections and was assembled from its base which was also cleaned and protected by a coating. The Daughters of the American Resolution are also working on restoration projects for the Santa Fe Historical Markers located in Prowers County and other states in the nation. The Madonnas of the Trail are located in eleven other states honoring the pioneer spirit of the women who helped establish the country in the west. The work was concluded in Lamar on Friday, August 16.

Here are some additional links from Chris Ruth to take a look at if you would like to learn more.
Madonna of the Trail, Lamar, Colorado
Videos on Project: http://youtube.com/ and search for "Madonna of the Trail" (be sure and use the quotes
Blogger: http://restoration-madonna-of-the-trail.blogspot.com -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.ruth.5074
YouTube: http://youtu.be/7e-95mZNdtc
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_of_the_Trail
By Vincent Gearhart/Russ Baldwin

Lamar Ledger online - Thanks for the great story!

Lamar Madonna of the Trail

Madonna gets a makeover

By Lance Maggart The Lamar Ledger

Posted: 08/24/2013 09:51:59 AM MDT

Workmen repaired cracks, hairline fractures and even a bullet hole on the Lamar Madonna of the Trail statue. (John Contreras)

Adam LeMaster, an employee of Si Memorial of Parsons, Kan. was in Lamar to do some repair and restoration work on the Madonna of the Trail. (John Contreras)

If you have looked at Lamar's Madonna of the Trail statue lately she might seem slightly different. Lamar's Madonna recently underwent a detailed restoration and renovation project funded through a grant from the National Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) organization. The $14,000 grant was awarded in April of this year DAR Historic Preservation Special Projects Chair Chris Ruth was in Lamar last week from her home in Greeley to oversee the work. Chris has spent over two and a half years on the current restoration project. Along with writing the grant proposal and submitting it to the National DAR organization Chris found the monument company in Kan. to complete the work. Si Memorials out of Parsons, Kan. performed the work. Adam LeMaster and Brett Gentry of Si Memorials cleaned the entire statue and it's base first. Afterwards the two set about repairing the existing damages on the statue. They filled hairline fractures and cracks throughout using a specialized epoxy along with a ground granite mixture that was meticulously pushed into the epoxy. The pair also repaired a bullet hole on the southeast corner of the statue's base. After repairing the statue and the base they started applying a three-part epoxy sealant on Thu. Because of wind and the proximity to Main St. it was determined the sealant could not be sprayed onto the statue. Instead the entire sealant product was applied by hand with a three inch brush. The epoxy sealant that was applied has darkened the iconic statue ever so slightly. It is also resistant to vandalism. Chris Ruth said, "The Lamar Madonna has weathered the years well. Her condition is better than some of the others throughout the nation." The City of Lamar owns the Madonna statue but the DAR act as its stewards. A rededication ceremony for the statue will be held on Nov. 23 at 11 a.m.

Link: http://www.lamarledger.com/lamar-community-news/ci_23911835/madonna-gets-makeover