the kansas city public library, cynthia prescott. [applause] >> good afternoon. nearly 30,000 people attended the dedication of kansas city pioneer mother statue. n pin valley park in 1927. interest in pioneer mother monument soon waned after world war ii. kansas city resident soon forgot that their bronze tribute -- then in the 1980's local residents rediscovered kansas city's connections to the western trails. pioneer monuments reveal the waxing and waning of front earing in this nation. the earliest pioneer monuments, by which i should stop and xplain, i define pioneer