Spirit of Detroit, Michigan, USA

The Spirit of Detroit is a large bronze statue located at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit, Michigan, USA.  This city monument was commissioned in 1955 for a cost of $58,000. In its left hand, the large seated figure holds a gilt bronze sphere emanating rays to symbolize God. The people in the figure's right hand are a family group. The 26-foot (7.9 m) sculpture was the largest cast bronze statue since the Renaissance when it was first installed. It was cast in Oslo, Norway. The name of the statue came from an inscription from 2 Corinthians (3:17) on the wall behind it:

NOW THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT
AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE
LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY."
II CORINTHIANS 3:17

The Spirit of Detroit is easily identified as a Detroit symbol.  It is often dressed in sports attire when local teams play significant games. As one of Detroit's most easily identifiable landmarks, a sketch of the statue appears as the central element in most of the logos of Detroit's city departments and services.

 Detroit is the most populous city of Michigan.  Between 2000 and 2010 the city's population fell by 25 percent, changing its ranking from the nation's 10th largest city to 18th. In 2010, the city had a population of 713,777, more than a 60 percent drop down from a peak population of over 1.8 million at the 1950 census.

Thanks to Mandi Barslow (March05, 2014) of Swap-Bot for this great postcard.