End of Trail Oval

The End of the Trail is one of the most recognizable images in the United States. This is a representation of the famous sculpture of a Native American on horseback. In the late 1800’s, the image was created by James Earle Fraser. Originally, it was seen on postcards, belt buckles or beaded bracelets. In 1898 he entered a small bronze statue in the American Artists Association exhibition in Paris and won the John Wanamaker prize. This afforded him the opportunity to study art in Europe. After returning to American, Fraser made several changes to the original End of Trail sculpture. For its creator, it was more than just a sculpture. It was a meaningful reminder of his childhood growing up on the plains in South Dakota where he had befriended many of the Plains Natives. His vision for the creation came from the stories about the “doomed fate” of the Native people and sympathizing with their suffering as westward expansion threatened to consume their lands.