Fought primarily in Cuba and the Philippines, the conflict pitted Cuban patriots, whom the United States supported in its efforts to establish itself as a dominant power in the Western hemisphere, against Spanish colonial power. Depicting a foot soldier dressed in military fatigues, with a rifle slung over his shoulder, the image (and nickname) is derived from the long marches that the infantry endured in the tropical Cuban climate and terrain. The Hiker statue honors those local soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War (1898–1902). This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found postedwithin the park.
