Oz's Tin Man Found His Heart in Michigan
The classic character finally found what he was looking for in Hart, of course
Hart — “The Wizard of Oz” is one of our most beloved movie classics. For those who live under a rock, the story follows a young girl named Dorothy who gets swept away from Kansas by a tornado and lands in a magical world where she sets off to find a wizard who can help her get home.
Along the way, she meets three friends who each need help of their own. The Scarecrow wants a brain, the Cowardly Lion wants courage, and the Tin Man wants a heart.
Sorry for the spoiler, but aside from a heart-shaped clock the Wizard gives him, the movie ends with the Tin Man never getting the heart he so desperately wanted.
Until now.
Over in West Michigan, in a small lakeside town called Hart, there’s a 24-foot-tall sculpture of the Tin Man with a giant red heart in his hand. And yes, the pun is completely intentional.
The sculpture was installed as part of a community effort called the H-Art Project, which aims to bring more public art downtown and give people a reason to stop and explore the area.
The idea to make a giant Tin Man one of those art pieces started when city leaders spotted a similar sculpture outside the Amway Grand Plaza during ArtPrize in Grand Rapids in 2021. Former Hart Mayor Vicki Platt thought a Tin Man who finally found his heart would make a pretty fitting addition to a town called Hart.
The city then commissioned Bill Secunda, an award-winning metal sculptor from Pennsylvania, to create its own version. The project cost $50,000, with a $10,000 grant and private donations covering the bill.
The sculpture was officially completed in June 2023 and traveled all the way from Pennsylvania to Michigan on a flatbed truck before being officially unveiled at the National Asparagus Festival, which takes place every June and is a huge deal in Hart.
Now, the Tin Man sits in his forever home at Hart Commons downtown, right along Hart Lake and next to the Dairy Delight ice cream shop. It stands at 24 feet tall and, ironically, is made of steel. While it definitely isn’t the prettiest piece of public art I’ve ever seen, it also isn’t the ugliest. And at least it’s creative.
Beyond the heart-in-Hart connection, the sculpture is also meant to represent the care and effort local farmers put into their work and land. Rob Splane, Hart’s city manager at the time of the installation, also connected the Tin Man’s industrial symbolism to the machinery that transformed farming in Oceana County.
The community got to have a say in the fate of Mr. Tin Man as well. Residents voted on his placement and pose, including whether he should stand, sit or kneel, and where he should go.
But he was never intended to be the only reason people stop downtown.
The H-Art Project originally had a “25 by 2025” initiative, meaning organizers wanted to install 25 pieces of public art by the end of 2025 and turn downtown Hart into a lively, walkable art tour. The Tin Man was its first large installation, but three commissioned murals had already kicked off the effort in 2022.
By September 2025, the Michigan Municipal League reported that Hart was still four works away from its goal, but had funding secured for two more. Still, it's impressive they were able to bring 21 pieces of public art downtown in just three years. Other additions include oversized interactive chimes near the Tin Man and “Migration of the Hart,” a 40-foot mural honoring the immigrant workers and migrant families who helped build the area’s agricultural economy.
With funding already secured for two more pieces, there’s reason to hope the community will finish what it started, even if it takes longer than planned. Plans for future installations include a giant fishing troll beside Hart Lake and a solar-powered tree sculpture where visitors can charge their phones.
But in the meantime, we have the Tin Man, who’s not only found a heart but also a forever home here in Michigan.
