Julius Theodore Melchers

Julius Theodore Melchers (1829–1908) was a German born American sculptor and teacher who immigrated to the United States leaving Prussia after 1848 and resided in Detroit, Michigan after 1855 .

[1][3] The likelihood that Melchers left Europe, as did so many other in and after the turbulent year of 1848 for political reasons is somewhat supported that he named his son (called, "Gari") after the famous Italian patriot and revolutionary Garibaldi.

[2] Before moving to the United States, he worked as a modeler at the Crystal Palace in London as well as carving ships figureheads.

[8] Bela Hubbard (1814–1896), a lumber baron and real estate mogul, commissioned Julius T. Melchers to carve the "larger than life" sandstone statues of Detroit's four French pioneers, Fr.

[8] When the old Detroit City Hall was demolished in 1961 the statues were saved and moved to the campus of Wayne State University.