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Following World War II, merchants in Kerens, Texas, struggled to get residents to shop locally for their Christmas gifts. The chamber of commerce brainstormed marketing strategies and landed on a big idea: commissioning the construction of a 49-foot-tall Santa Claus.
Shoppers loved it, and the ’49 holiday season was saved. Santa’s appeal, however, was short-lived. In 1951, the city sold the statue for $750 to the State Fair of Texas, which hired Dallas artist Jack Bridges to give it a makeover. Size 356 boots and a 75-gallon hat never looked so good.
The massive cowboy, named Big Tex, debuted at Fair Park in 1952 in front of the Federal Building (now the Tower Building), where he quickly became an integral part of the fair-going experience.
Big Tex got his signature voice in 1953, welcoming fairgoers with his trademark “Howdy, folks!” His fame soon spread. In 1962, he was featured in a remake of the film State Fair, co-starring Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, and Pamela Tiffin. Tragedy struck in 2012, when an electrical short caused Big Tex to catch fire.
Only his arms survived the blaze. During the fair’s final days that year, fans left cards, food baskets, and other tributes, m...