SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A statue of a giant robed man pointing his finger above Interstate-280 is a well-known landmark for people traveling between San Jose and San Francisco.
The statue of Saint Junipero Serra towered over I-280 in Hillsborough for five decades. Without any big announcements, California Department of Transportation crews suddenly removed the statue in August.
Before the final decision of removal was made, state transportation officials consulted with Ohlone Native American tribes who have ancestral ties to the region. Caltrans officials said they also solicited input from historical, arts, and religious organizations.
A statue of Father Junipero Serra towers above I-280 in San Mateo County on Mar. 17, 2009. (Photo By Michael Macor /The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)Saint Serra was a Franciscan priest and missionary who traveled up the coast of California in the 1700s and founded nine of the state's 21 missions. He is historically revered as the "Apostle of California," according to the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Serra was canonization by Pope Francis in 2015.
Caltrans spokesperson Jeneane Crawford told KRON4 that the 26-foot-tall concrete and steel statue was removed because it did not meet "current Transportation Art Program requirements," and it was frequently vandalized.
Serra's legacy was called into question in recent years because of how Native Americans were treated at the missions.
The Junipero Serra statue is seen on Mar. 17, 2009. (Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)In a statement to KRON4, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone wrote Tuesday, "I learned about the removal of the St. Junipero Serra statue after it happened. No one fought for St. Junipero Serra because apparently, officials from Caltrans and the Transportation Art Program didn’t consult with anyone who would give them an opinion that differed from their own. Would we expect this treatment if it happened to be associated with another religious organization? I think not."
The Archdiocese of San Francisco said its parishioners voiced concerns over the statue's sudden disappearance.
The Archdiocese told KRON4, "It also appears that this action was carried out in the dark of the night. You would think that the officials from Caltrans and the Transportation Art Program would better understand these sensitivities and the impact of their decision. It is incumbent upon government to be transparent and to not take actions that appear to single out particular groups in a negative way. In this case, it is easy to see why we remain in a climate of mistrust and division."
A statue of Junipero Serra towers above I-280 in San Mateo County on Mar. 17, 2009. (Photo By Michael Macor /The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)Designed and built by sculptor Louis DuBois, the Junipero Serra statue was erected in 1975 above Interstate-280. The freeway is also named "Junipero Serra Freeway."
Crawford told KRON4 on Tuesday, "Caltrans removed the statue ... because the installation did not meet current Transportation Art Program requirements and had been a frequent target of graffiti and vandalism. The statue was evaluated for eligibility in the California Register of Historical Resources pursuant to Public Resources Code 5024 and was determined not eligible. The statue was removed in August 2025. There are no current plans to install another statue in this location."
Junipero Serra statue toppled in Golden Gate ParkThe California Department of Transportation published a study in 2022 exploring "harmful" names and monuments on state highways that have "derogatory or racist linkages."
A statue of Junipero Serra stands in front of the San Gabriel Mission on September 23, 2015. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)"A difficult issue raised by survey and interview participants is what to do about namescommemorating individuals that are offensive to some groups but celebrated by others, e.g.,Christopher Columbus and Junipero Serra," the study states.
The study continues, "Honoring a person through ... erecting a statue is a way of reminding viewers of the person’s actions, perspectives, and the examples they set. The choices of whom to honor can reflect power imbalances, gender biases, or ethnic, racial, and religious prejudices, impose conqueror authority or settler colonialism, or signify white supremacy while erasing or demeaning Indigenous histories and knowledge."
The study acknowledges that removing monuments is often controversial.
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