The Other Big Tex

Everybody knows Big Tex.  Just like clockwork, he appears every fall at Dallas' Fair Park to oversee the State Fair of Texas and greet visitors.  But farther north, in the Texas panhandle, there's another big "Tex" who's almost as tall and just as friendly.

Canyon, TX is the home of "Tex Randall," a 47 foot tall cowboy that stands tall over the sleepy Amarillo suburb.  He's been around for decades in various states of disrepair and has had multiple makeovers by concerned Texans.  He now lives in his own dedicated park with his own dedicated historical marker.

The marker reads:

     "The 47-foot, seven-ton cowboy statue, known as Tex Randall, is considered a Texas icon. Designer and builder Harry Wheeler created the cowboy in 1959 as a roadside phenomenon to welcome travelers to his Corral curio shop on U.S. Highway 60 west to New Mexico. The giant cowboy relates to the western heritage of the Texas panhandle as well as symbolizing the state of Texas. William Harry Wheeler (1914-1997) was born in Hartley, Texas in the panhandle and died in Amarillo. He was a teacher by profession, but in the 1950s, he sought a way to supplement his income and opened a curio shop along the highway. After three years, he moved the shop across the highway and began his masterpiece, the Big Cowboy. For ten months, Wheeler worked with six-inch wire mesh, rebar and concrete. A friend helped weld the pipe and rebar to the frame.
     The concrete cowboy was covered with burlap to protect it from the elements. Levi-Strauss made the pants and Amarillo Awning made the shirt, a surface total of 1,440 square feet. Dressing the statue was completed by hand-stitching the clothes in back with sailboat thread, and the shirt was decorated with sheet aluminum buttons covered with vinyl. In true Texas style, the cowboy was adorned with a Stetson-style hat. Wheeler soon added a six-room motel for visitors. Due to reconstruction of the highway, the tourist trade at his shop declined. Wheeler sold the property in 1963. Harry Wheeler’s vision, dedication and attention to detail sealed his creation as a landmark and tourist attraction. The giant cowboy became Wheeler’s lasting contribution to Texas heritage and history. (2013)"

 Tex isn't just one of the stars of the Panhandle, he stands among the other Texas giants like the Sam Houston Statue in Huntsville, the Dinosaurs of Glen Rose, and his old pal Big Tex, himself.  Next time you're in his neck of the woods, stop by and say "Howdy!"

Split Down the Middle

If you're headed to Arkansas and are looking for a good place to stop and take a picture, you need look no further than the Court House/Post Office on State Line Avenue in Texarkana.  There you'll find the only government building in the country to straddle a state line.  And once you arrive, they're ready for you.

It's such a popular spot for pictures that they built a place to stand to get your shot.  It includes the actual latitude and longitude coordinates so you can make sure you're standing exactly on the border.  With that thoughtfully provided information, tourists can be absolutely certain they have one foot in Texas and another in Arkansas.

Once you're done straddling and find yourself interested in a little historical context, you can venture up the steps to the courthouse to read the historical marker.  It's right out front, attached to the side of the building:

The marker reads:

     "Currently, only Federal office building to straddle state line. Present Texas-Arkansas state boundary (established in 1841 by United States and Republic of Texas) passes through center.
     Each state had separate post offices until 1892, when first joint office was built on this site. It was razed in 1930, and in 1933 the present structure was completed. The base is of Texas pink granite while walls are of limestone from Arkansas."

And speaking of history, the photo op has been around for awhile:

This picture from an old Texas Almanac shows that the signage used to look different but it was always a popular stop for road trippers to stop by strike a pose.

Walker's Fort Worth HQ

All right Chuck Norris fans, it's time to delve into more Walker, Texas Ranger!  Even if you were just a casual viewer you probably noticed the HQ of Walker and his pals.  In real life it's the Tarrant County Courthouse:

You can find it in downtown Fort Worth and recognize it by its Texas pink granite...the same kind of stone you'll find making up the facade of the state Capitol Building in Austin.  For you history buffs, here's the building's Texas Historical Marker:

It reads:

     "Designed by firm of Gunn & Curtis and built by the Probst Construction Company of Chicago, 1893-1895. This red Texas granite building, in Renaissance Revival style, closely resembles the Texas State Capital with the exception of the clock tower. 
     The cost was $408,840 and citizens considered it such a public extravagance that a new County Commissioners' Court was elected in 1894. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1969"

In one of the earlier episodes the courthouse got some good exposure during an action scene.  The episode's bad guy, played by character actor Leon Rippy, kidnaps Alex in broad daylight while dressed as a cop with the help of some flash grenades and tear gas:

This all goes down in front of the courthouse:

Walker's partner Trivette does what he does best and opens fire into a crowded street:

Looks like he had made it across the street to the bank but the bad guy still gets away.

Don't worry though, they get him at his nondescript cabin in the woods whose location I am not about to try and track down.  And roll credits...