The Spirit of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Unveiled on September 23, 1958, The Spirit of Detroit hails from the glory days of Motor City artistry, from towering tail fins on its cars to a 26-foot-high cross-legged man in front of its municipal building. Sculpted by Marshall Fredericks, it was considered the largest artwork cast in Europe since the 16th century. Fredericks had no name for the statue; the "Spirit of Detroit" name was what people in the city called it (They also called it "The Jolly Green Giant" long before there was a real Jolly Green Giant statue).
The Spirit of Detroit has nothing to do with Detroit in particular. The green guy is the Spirit of Man. The spiky ball in his left hand is God, the gesturing people in his right hand are The Human Family. The family is filled with the nobleness of God through the Spirit of Man, although it's unclear if the green guy is always out there, waiting to be helpful, or is just created whenever there's a power transfer. Fredericks spent three years creating The Spirit of Detroit, and then -- on a roll -- a year later he sculpted the giant Jesus for the world's largest crucifix.
Fredericks' allegorical vision is lessened when The Spirit of Detroit is dressed in giant sport jerseys whenever a local team makes the playoffs, although that's probably more in alignment with the 21st century Spirit of Detroit.