Tex Randall
| Tex Randall | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Next to U.S. Route 60 in Canyon, Texas |
| Completed | 1959 |
| Height | 47 feet |
Tex Randall is a 47-foot (14 m) tall cowboy figure constructed in 1959 next to U.S. Route 60 in Canyon, Texas.[1] It weighs seven tons and is made of cement and steel.[2]
The statue was constructed in 1959 by local shop teacher Harry Wheeler to advertise for a western wear store directly next to it. It originally featured a bandanna, a western-style shirt and real denim jeans.[1] When Highway 60 was rerouted through an underpass, traffic to the store declined and it closed. The statue gradually fell into disrepair as high winds shredded the jeans, a truck crashed into the left boot, and the cigarette was shot from his hand.[2] In 1987, a campaign began to repair the statue, which resulted in a different appearance: the remains of the cigarette were replaced with a spur and new paint gave him different clothing and a moustache. Without further maintenance, the statue again fell into disrepair until 2013, when the Texas Department of Transportation constructed a park underneath and around the statue. A new campaign funded the restoration of the statue to more closely resemble its original appearance.[2] The restoration was completed in 2016.[3]
The statue was named an official Canyon landmark in 2017.[4]
References
- ^ a b Diaz, Joy (April 30, 2020). "How Tex Randall Went From Being Just A Statue To An Iconic Cowboy". Texas Standard. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ a b c staff. "Tex Randall, Big Texan". roadsideamerica.com. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ Brown, Patti (September 20, 2021). "Visiting 'Big' Tex in Canyon". Temple Daily Telegram. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ staff (July 24, 2017). "How Tex Randall Went From Being Just A Statue To An Iconic Cowboy". KFDA News. Retrieved 12 July 2022.