In Detroit, Woodward Avenue is the main boulevard that divides east from west. On the east side of Woodward at Jefferson is the Spirit of Detroit statue, a large green man made of bronze and wearing only a loincloth. On the other side of Woodward is a naked woman statue in front of the gas company building.

Back in the 1960s a prankster painted large green footprints across Woodward from the Spirit of Detroit to the naked lady.

That's what I thought about when you told your story.

http://www.freep.com/article/20130609/NEWS06/306090085/Statue-love-story