“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
(2 Corinthians 3:17)
In the arena of iconic Detroit landmarks, few masterpieces hold a candle to Marshall Fredericks’ The Spirit of Detroit. Commissioned in 1955 for $58,000, The Spirit of Detroit is a 26-foot bronze sculpture perched atop a 60-ton marble base in front of the Coleman A. Young Center on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Designed to depict man’s spirit through God and the family, the statue features a man holding an orb with rays (symbolizing God) in one hand and people (representing mankind and the family unit) in the other.
The Spirit of Detroit is one of my favorite pieces in downtown Detroit, and a must-see for anyone who’s visiting. The best way to access The Spirit is to park nearby and walk (there’s a sidewalk and several parking meters, lots, and garages in the area), or ride the brand-new QLINE. Either way, the statue is close to the road and easily spotted when you pass by—so make sure to stop for a selfie or group photo!
If you’re lucky enough to be in town when one of Detroit’s major sports teams (or one of Michigan’s big university teams) is doing well, you may even see The Spirit of Detroit donning a custom-made team jersey! We loved seeing the statue decked in Detroit Tigers gear a few years ago during the team’s World Series run, and while it could be a while before our MLB team goes on display again, we always have the Redwings to watch out for. 😉
