Northern Mich. man's sculptures dot the landscape

Tue, Sep 8, 2009    to del.icio.us

ONAWAY — It's a tradition — the latest creation of Tom Moran and crew is revealed at the Independence Day parade in Onaway.

This year was the 20th year Moran has unveiled one of his fabricated metal art works at the Fourth of July celebration.

It was fitting the sculpture was of Abraham Lincoln on the 200th anniversary of his birth. The sculpture is presently displayed at Moran Iron Works on M-68, about a mile west of Onaway.

The Lincoln bust is made of plate steel. The eyes and bow tie are stainless steel. He is 10 feet from the back of his head to the tip of his nose, and is 15 feet wide and over 15 feet high. The piece weighs more than 4.5 tons.

Moran studies photographs and makes cardboard patterns before cutting sheet metal.

Materials for Lincoln's forehead alone cost between $300 and $400. Moran is aided by his employees and students from the firm's Iron One Class.

Cheboygan's most prominent Moran sculpture is adjacent to the Cheboygan Memorial Hospital. It is named "Community Connected Globe." It was built in 2005. The artwork was donated by Moran and two partners.

Other pieces in Cheboygan are the "Cantilever Hook," built in 1991, and "Axe," a giant axe built in 1990. Both are a tribute to lumberjacks, and are displayed at the fairgrounds.

A freshwater aquarium is on view at the Black River Marina in Cheboygan. It was built in 1997.

"Lady Liberty's Torch" is displayed at Lakeside Park, adjacent to the Marina in Rogers City. It was built in 2004.

The Upper Peninsula is represented with three pieces: "Musket," a working large-scale Musket, built in 1996; "Water Pump," a hand-operated water pump built in 1995; and the "Big Gus Chainsaw," built in 1994. These are all displayed at the Yoopers Tourist Trap in Ishpeming.

A piece named "Atlas," described as "Holding the World Made of Tools," was built in 2006 and is displayed at G & T Used Truck & Auto Parts, located in Macomb County's Chesterfield Township.

Sculptures in Onaway include "Liberty Bell," a tribute to the USA, displayed at the VFW Hall; the "Log Mover," a tribute to Onaway's lumberjacks, is displayed on the lawn of the Courthouse; "Miss Liberty" displayed on M-68; and "George Washington," built in 1998 and displayed on the grounds of Moran Iron Works.

And, of course, the latest creation, the bust of Abraham Lincoln.

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