A bronze statue of Michigan's first governor and one of its most bold young leaders, Stevens T. Mason, is located in Detroit's Capitol Park. Albert Weinert created the statue, which was unveiled in 1908 and commemorates the location of Michigan's first state capitol. Mason's remains were reburied beneath the statue after they were returned from New York, making it his final resting place. Mason's legacy is anchored in the center of the city he helped form.
He is shown by the artist standing tall and calm, radiating youthful self-assurance and civic resolve. Both authority and approachability are conveyed by the way his left arm drapes casually at his side and his right hand is securely resting on a draped plinth. Mason's eyes are aimed upward and forward a little, as though he is looking to the future of Michigan. This is an appropriate homage to the man who, at the age of 24, led the state to admission in the Union. His modest clothing reflects the style of a public servant in the middle of the 19th century, not that of a military leader.
Mason, who was born in Virginia in 1811, was elected Michigan's first state governor at the age of 24 after serving as acting territorial governor at the age of 22. He championed infrastructure and education as he guided the state through the Toledo War and won admission to the Union in 1837. Despite passing away at the young age of 31, his vision and fearless leadership earned him the enduring moniker of "Boy Governor."
His great-granduncle was George Mason, the Virginia statesman who authored the Virginia Declaration of Rights and played a pivotal role in shaping the U.S. Constitution
[Review 1008 of 2025 - 483 in Michigan - 24562 overall] read more