The Heritage of This Place stands on the lawn north of the Roseau City Center along Highway 11 and the Roseau River. Dedicated in 2011, the two-sided steel sculpture was created by local artist and blacksmith Sue Suess with assistance from husband, Joel Miller. The idea and momentum behind the project came with the intent of sharing Roseau's early history through a lasting public art project.

The sculpture is made up of 21 individual symbols, each chosen to reflect the land, early travel routes, and cultures tied to this area. One side features a representation of La Vérendrye, the French voyageurs who moved through the Roseau River Valley in the early 1700s. His expeditions in the 1730s followed waterways through the river system, then overland and along creeks to this area.

The opposite side of the sculpture shifts the focus to Indigenous history and features an Ojibwe woman. This image acknowledges the Native American people who lived along the Roseau River long before European exploration and settlement. It represents generations of knowledge, connection to the land, and the role Indigenous communities played in shaping this place. Sue Suess consulted with Robert KaKaGeesick during the design process to ensure this representation was handled with care and respect.

Surrounding these central figures are symbols from the local landscape. A moose emerges from the swamp, framed by grass and reeds that still grow here today, giving the community its name: an eagle and a full moon reference regional identity and natural cycles. Wildlife symbols include the blue heron, the loon (Minnesota's state bird), and the state flower.

Navigation and location are also reflected. The Polaris star marks Roseau as a northern point of reference. At the same time, a Native American sun wheel on the reverse side helps locate Warroad. Other elements include the beaver, tied to the fur trade, an owl, and a Sasquatch hidden in the trees, a nod to local folklore. An open-ended canoe completes the piece, inviting viewers to think about travel, movement, and time.

Art runs deep in Roseau. This sculpture, along with the downtown mural, downtown shops, and exhibits at the Roseau County Museum and the Roseau Public Library, shows how art continues to document and share Roseau's history.