Michigan’s Motor City is known as the automobile capital of the world and the birthplace of Motown music. But the Comeback City is also known for being tenacious, strong, and never giving up. The best symbol of this feeling would be the iconic statue in Detroit, Michigan, the Spirit of Detroit. But few people know that the monument was actually imported from Norway.
The Spirit of Detroit Statue is located in the heart of downtown Detroit, Michigan in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.
Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)/Moment collection via Getty Images
World-famous metro Detroit sculptor Marshall Fredericks was commissioned in 1955 to create a monument to represent the city.
MarkaPhotog/Google The budget for the statue was $58,000, which is equivalent to over $400,000 today. Fredericks created a scale model of the statue and shipped it to Oslo, Norway, where it was constructed.
The 26-foot-tall statue was cast in Norway and given an acid wash to give it a beautiful green shade which nature usually takes years to create.
Historic Detroit The statue took three years to complete, and then the tricky part began: transporting the behemoth statue across the Atlantic Ocean. A framework made of wood and steel was designed, and the statue was wrapped in burlap to protect it during transport. The statue with the framework weighed 12 tons and was placed below deck on a freighter to travel 4,800 miles across the sea, through the Great Lakes, and into the Detroit port. Then it was lifted onto a truck and driven to Downtown Detroit where two cranes were used to rest it on its marble base.
On September 23, 1958, crowds gathered for the formal dedication of the Spirit of Detroit.
Historic Detroit The sculptor Marshall Fredericks and even a member of the Norweigan government were also present for the unveiling of the monument.
The statue sits on a massive marble base that has two seals affixed to the Vermont marble wall.
Historic Detroit One seal is for Wayne County and the other is for the city of Detroit. There is also a Bible verse engraved into the marble.
Improvements were made to the icon in 2007, and it is still a symbol for Detroit citizens. Nowadays you’ll sometimes find the statue wearing a Detroit Red Wings, Lions, or Tigers jersey.
Jim/Flickr
If you’re looking for more Motor City history check out 10 Historical Landmarks You Absolutely Must Visit In Detroit. You can also visit a hidden gem that most people don’t know about, The Little Venice In Detroit. What are your must-see spots in Detroit? Let us know!
Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)/Moment collection via Getty Images
MarkaPhotog/Google
The budget for the statue was $58,000, which is equivalent to over $400,000 today. Fredericks created a scale model of the statue and shipped it to Oslo, Norway, where it was constructed.
Historic Detroit
The statue took three years to complete, and then the tricky part began: transporting the behemoth statue across the Atlantic Ocean. A framework made of wood and steel was designed, and the statue was wrapped in burlap to protect it during transport. The statue with the framework weighed 12 tons and was placed below deck on a freighter to travel 4,800 miles across the sea, through the Great Lakes, and into the Detroit port. Then it was lifted onto a truck and driven to Downtown Detroit where two cranes were used to rest it on its marble base.
The sculptor Marshall Fredericks and even a member of the Norweigan government were also present for the unveiling of the monument.
One seal is for Wayne County and the other is for the city of Detroit. There is also a Bible verse engraved into the marble.
Jim/Flickr
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