Giant Junipero Serra statue vanishes above I

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.

Saint Serra was a Franciscan priest who traveled up the coast of California in the 1700s and founded nine of the state's 21 missions. He is historically