Perhaps one of the most iconic municipal sculptures in the United States, the Spirit of Detroit has come to embody the heart and soul of the Motor City.

In 1954, the city completed construction on its new municipal office building, now known as the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. The following year, the city commissioned American sculptor Marshall Fredericks to create a public art piece worthy of placement in front of the newly finished building. Fredericks already had many well-known pieces displayed through the region including the Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle.

The 27-foot bronze sculpture cost $58,000 to create and was cast in Oslo, Norway. At the time, the massive bronze figure was largest cast bronze statue to be created since the Renaissance. Sitting atop a 60-ton marble base, the statue holds a gilt-bronze sphere emanating sunrays in one hand and a small family group in the other. According to Fredericks these, and the Bible verse located on the wall behind the statue, were meant to reflect “the spirit of man through the deity and the family.”

Frederick’s did not charge the city for his work on the project stating that he felt it to be part of his civic duties. He also did not name the piece, choosing instead to allow the people of Detroit to determine what the statue should be called.

Over the years, citizens have adopted the statue as a symbol of the city going so far as to clothe the massive bronze piece in team jerseys during years that Detroit’s professional sports teams make it to their respective playoffs. In 2006 the statute underwent a series of restorations all funded by foundations and private citizens, ensuring that the Spirit of Detroitwill continue to represent the soul of the Motor City for generations to come.