MIDDLE ROW - Lady Justice Statue

Statue of Lady Justice, 1885-1935
Kalamazoo County Courthouse

Donor: Kalamazoo County Board of Supervisors, 1942

Who is Lady Justice?

One of the most widely recognized American public statues is Lady Justice, named after the Roman goddess Justitia. She traditionally carries a sword and a set of scales. Her eyes are closed or blindfolded to indicate impartiality. The scales symbolize her weighing of evidence and the sword represents a willingness to impose justice.

Junk or Not?

This statue stood atop the old Kalamazoo County Courthouse for 50 years. It was removed in 1935 before the courthouse was demolished.

Lady Justice nearly ended up as scrap metal during World War II when Kalamazoo County Supervisors decided the statue was “cheaply constructed, ungainly, and decidedly undecorative.” Outcry from local historians saved the statue which was donated to the Museum in 1942.

A Hidden Patina

After 50 years of weathering on top of the old courthouse, Lady Justice had developed a naturally-aged appearance, known as patina. The natural mottled gray patina on this statue is hidden beneath a layer of gold paint applied sometime in the 1960s. Today, the original, natural patina is considered desirable by antique collectors.