Statues

Celebrating Flint’s Automotive Pioneers and Workforce

Launched in 2012, the Back to the Bricks Automotive Heritage Statue Project honors the innovators, leaders, and workers who helped establish Flint, Michigan as the “Vehicle City.” This ongoing project preserves the community’s automotive history through a series of life-size bronze statues placed throughout downtown Flint and key visitor locations.

Downtown Flint – Pioneer Plaza 

Located in Pioneer Plaza, Address: 125 E Kearsley Street. Flint MI; these statues commemorate some of the most influential figures in automotive history:

• David Buick, founder of Buick Motor Company
• William C. “Billy” Durant, co-founder of General Motors
• Louis Chevrolet, co-founder of Chevrolet Motor Company
• Albert Champion, automotive innovator and founder of AC Spark Plug
• Charles Stewart Mott, General Motors Board of Directors for approximately 60 years, Mott amassed the resources that later fueled his philanthropic legacy, including the creation of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which has had a profound and lasting impact on Flint and communities worldwide.

Bishop International Airport

Visitors arriving at Bishop International Airport in Flint are welcomed by statues honoring both industrial leadership and the workforce for men and women:

• Walter P. Chrysler, founder of Chrysler Corporation
• Charles W. Nash, founder of Nash Motors
• Rosie the Riveter, symbolizing the vital role of women and workers in wartime and automotive manufacturing

Downtown Flint – Court & Saginaw Streets

• Otto P. Graff, early automotive dealer and community leader, is honored near the site of his original dealership at the corner of Court Street and Saginaw Street.

Mott Community College (Planned Installation)

• A bronze statue of Charles Stewart Mott, renowned philanthropist and industrial leader, is planned for the campus of Mott Community College, further expanding the project’s reach.

A.B.C Hardy – Soon to be at it’s new home in Flint Michigan, coming Spring 2026

Artistic Legacy

All 11 statues in the Automotive Heritage Statue Project were created by local artist Joe Rundell, whose detailed bronze work brings these historical figures to life. Each piece reflects the vision, ingenuity, and determination that shaped Flint’s automotive identity.

The Back to the Bricks Statue Project continues to grow, with future installations planned to honor additional historic figures from the automotive industry.