Big Tex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Tex |
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Big Tex in 2013
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| General information | |
| Location | Fair Park in Dallas |
| Coordinates | 32°46′47″N 96°45′52″W / 32.7797°N 96.7644°W |
| Completed | 2013 (1949-2012, original) |
| Height | 55 feet |
Big Tex is a giant 55-foot (17 m) tall cowboy statue. He is a famous symbol of the yearly State Fair of Texas held at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. Big Tex has become a well-known cultural icon for both Dallas and the entire state of Texas. Since 1952, he has greeted visitors to the fair. His spot at the fairgrounds is a popular meeting place for everyone.
On October 19, 2012, during the last weekend of the fair, Big Tex was sadly destroyed by an electrical fire. The fire began in his right boot and quickly spread upwards. You could first see the flames from his neck area. After the fire, a new Big Tex was built by SRO Associates and Texas Scenic Co. This new version first appeared on September 26, 2013. In September 2020, Big Tex even wore a mask because the fair was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contents
The Story of Big Tex
Where Did Big Tex Come From?
The town of Kerens, Texas is known as the "Birthplace of Big Tex." But he didn't start as a cowboy! In 1949, he was a 49-foot (15 m) tall Santa Claus. This Santa was made from iron drill pipes, papier mache, and rope. The idea came from Howell Brister, who managed the Chamber of Commerce. He wanted to attract shoppers to the town during the holidays. This "World's Largest Santa Claus" stood over Colket Avenue for two holiday seasons. He even got attention from newspapers as far away as Iran and Australia! Local people built the Santa, welding the frame and sewing his clothes.
After two years, people weren't as excited about the Santa statue. So, Kerens decided to sell him. In 1951, the president of the State Fair, R. L. Thornton, bought Santa's parts for $750. Artist Jack Bridges then changed them into a cowboy, and that's how "Big Tex" was born!
Big Tex Through the Years (1952-2012)
Big Tex first appeared at the 1952 fair. He was a 52-foot cowboy wearing denim jeans and a plaid shirt. The clothes were given by the H. D. Lee Company. Artist Jack Bridges used photos of his own face, a rancher named Doc Simmons, and Will Rogers to create Tex's new look. After the fair, his nose was straightened, and an odd wink was fixed. In 1953, Big Tex started talking! A special motor and speaker system in his head made his jaw move, making it look like he was really speaking.
In 1955, Big Tex got his first new set of clothes, again from the H. D. Lee Company. After that year's fair, he traveled to West Texas. He went to Abilene Christian College for their 50th homecoming party. During the 1950s, Big Tex was updated. His papier mache "skin" was replaced with fiberglass, which is much stronger. His original head was stored away and later sold in 1993.
In 1961, the State Fair of Texas announced plans for a permanent Big Tex statue. But he remained a seasonal attraction, only appearing during the fair. Instead, the area where he stood, called Big Tex Circle, was redesigned in 1966.
Big Tex even visited his hometown of Kerens, Texas, in 1981. He helped them celebrate the city's 100th birthday. He continued to travel for special events until the mid-1980s.
In 1997, Big Tex got a new "skeleton" made of 4,200 feet of steel rods. This new frame weighed 6,000 pounds. It changed his posture and gave him a new hand that could wave to people. But his original head was kept. Three years later, his neck was made to turn, and his talking mouth got a new system.
Big Tex celebrated his 50th birthday in 2002. He received a giant birthday cake and even an AARP card! Gray shades were added to his hair, and wrinkles appeared on his hands and face as he continued to "age." In 2012, the State Fair of Texas celebrated Big Tex's 60th birthday.
The Fire and Rebuilding of Big Tex
On the morning of October 19, 2012, a fire started inside Big Tex. This was on the last weekend of the 2012 State Fair of Texas, and it was also Big Tex's 60th birthday! His clothes, face, and hat were completely destroyed in just a few minutes as people watched. An official investigation found that the fire began in an electrical box under his right boot. This box likely powered the air compressor that kept his clothes looking "inflated."
News of the fire spread across the country. Fair officials quickly promised to rebuild Big Tex. They said he would be "bigger and better" in time for the 2013 fair.
A new Big Tex was secretly built during 2013 by SRO Associates and Texas Scenic Co. It cost $500,000. The new statue weighs 19,000 pounds (8,618.3 kg) more than the old one, bringing him to 25,000 pounds (11,339.8 kg)! This extra weight helps Big Tex stand strong against 100 miles per hour (160.9 km/h) winds without needing support wires. His height was also increased by 1 yard (91.4 cm) to 55 feet (16.8 m) tall. The Big Tex Circle area at the fair was also made larger and stronger for the new, bigger statue.
Big Tex's Clothes
Big Tex usually gets new shirts and jeans every three years. These are currently designed and made by the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company. His next new outfit will be in 2022.
Before 2013, Big Tex wore size 70 boots and a 75-gallon hat. His shirt was a size 100 180/181, made from nylon awning fabric. His Dickies jeans were a huge 284W/185L 5X. The pants alone needed 72 yards (66 m) of denim and weighed 65 pounds (29 kg)! Over the years, his outfits sometimes had extra items related to the fair's theme. Big Tex has had a few clothing problems too. In 1961, strong winds from Hurricane Carla tore his clothes. In 1970, his giant shirt was stolen from a pickup truck, which got a lot of attention!
The new Big Tex statue that appeared in 2013 needed new, even larger clothes. His new Dickie shirt has a 14-foot collar and 23-foot sleeves. It weighs 130 pounds (59 kg) and is made from 150 yards (140 m) of awning material. His new Dickie jeans have a 27-foot waist and a 22-foot inseam. They weigh 100 pounds (45 kg) and are made from 100 yards (91 m) of denim fabric.
The Voices of Big Tex
Big Tex greets fairgoers with his friendly, booming voice saying, "HOOOOOOWDEEEEE, FOOOOOOLKS!!!" He also makes announcements throughout the State Fair of Texas. Only a few men have been his voice over six decades. They perform every day of the fair from a small booth called the "doghouse."
Al Jones, a disc jockey, was the first voice of Big Tex. He spoke for Tex for three years. Radio announcer Jim Lowe was the most famous voice of Big Tex. He performed for 39 years straight until 1998. Dan Alexander took over for the next two years. In 2001, a statewide contest was held live at the Cotton Bowl. Sonny Ray Stolz was chosen as the next voice of Big Tex. But after only one season, Sonny decided not to continue. So, the fair brought in the runner-up, Bill Bragg, in 2002. After the 2012 State Fair, Bill Bragg's contract was not renewed. From 2013 to 2019, Big Tex was voiced anonymously by Bob Boykin.
You can hear the voice of the 1955 Big Tex on a recording from NBC's live show Wide Wide World. This recording includes several parts from the State Fair.
Big Tex in Pop Culture
- The State Fair of Texas uses Big Tex in all its advertising. Even the fair's website address (www.bigtex.com) uses his name.
- The 1962 movie State Fair was filmed at the State Fair of Texas. It shows Big Tex and the fairgrounds.
- Big Tex is on the cover of the 1983 comic book "The Uncanny X-Men at the State Fair of Texas."
- In an episode of the FOX-TV animated series King of the Hill, Big Tex is a main part of the episode "Girl, You'll Be a Giant Soon" (aired April 25, 2004). In the episode, Hank Hill is upset that the fair won't allow propane Bar-B-Que grills. His niece, Luanne Platter, protests by climbing inside Big Tex and having a sit-in.
- Big Tex also appears in another King of the Hill episode, "How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying," but he just says "Howdy."
- In 2005, the State Fair of Texas created the Big Tex Choice Awards. This is a yearly food competition for fair vendors. The trophy for this award combines the body of an Oscar statue with a large Big Tex head.
- The name and logo for a local record label, Burning Texan Records, were inspired by the 2012 fire.
- The album cover for Horror Cult's The Texorcist shows Big Tex on fire.
- Big Tex's image and his famous pose are often used in advertisements in the Texas area.
- Big Tex's image was featured on a tour poster for the Japanese J-Pop group "Puffy AmiYumi" in April 2017. Dallas, Texas, was their last stop on the tour.
- The Dallas band Tripping Daisy wrote a song called "Jim's Longtime Voice" in 1998. It was a tribute to Jim Lowe after they read about his retirement as the voice of Big Tex.
