Visit Arts & Culture Committee
Seats of our Heritage
Created by artist Rick DeTroyer in 2011, "Seats of our Heritage" was sculpted to include seats from farm equipment to honor our agricultural heritage. Integrated into the arch are symbols from the City of Saline's seal: wheat, representing the farmer; the transit, a tool used by city founder Orange Risdon in his surveying; the automotive wheel representing a major source of employment for Saline's citizens; a wagon wheel, denoting Saline's early days as a hub in Detroit-Chicago shipping; a tree, representing the harmonious growth of agriculture and industry. Encircling the elements is a rope to symbolize the band of strength and character that the city draws from its citizens.
"Seats of our Heritage" was made possible through generous donations by: The City of Saline, Saline Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Council for Art and Cultural Affairs. The seats and other objects donated by the citizens of the Saline Area. "Seats of our Heritage" is located in downtown Saline on the 100 block of N. Ann Arbor Street, just north of Michigan Avenue.
Bust of Orange Risdon
In 2014, the Arts and Culture Committee funded relocating the bronze bust of Orange Risdon. Originally situated in the lobby of City Hall, the work was moved to an outside location, west of the building’s entrance steps. The bust was placed on a granite plinth, with a plaque—bearing Risdon’s name, and his years of birth and death—affixed to the stone. The Saline Area Historical Society had commissioned artist Elizabeth Rogers to sculpt the portrait in 2001, which was later given to the city. A plaster version still resides in the Depot Museum, which is maintained by the Saline Area Historical Society.
Leslee's Smile
Created by Saline artist, Valerie Mann, the work was sculpted in tribute to long-time library director Leslee Neithammer, who lost her battle with cancer in 2016. Inspired by her smile, the work is constructed from corten steel and glass. Supported by the Art and Culture Committee, Friends of Henne Field, CARES, and individual donors from the greater community, the sculpture was installed in Henne Field in the summer of 2019.
