Fair Park in Dallas in Dallas County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Big Tex

Photographed by QuesterMark, October 11, 2026

1. Big Tex Marker

Inscription.
The now-iconic statue welcoming visitors to the annual State Fair of Texas began in 1949 as a marketing campaign for the Chamber of Commerce in Kerens, Navarro County. To promote holiday shopping, Kerens citizens constructed a 42-foot Santa Claus statue from iron-pipe drill casing and papier mâché. State Fair of Texas officials decided the theme of the 1951 event was "She'll be a son-of-a-gun in '51" and theme artwork would feature a cowboy named "Tex." Officials adopted Tex as the official mascot of the fair. To provide a physical representation of their new mascot, President Robert Lee "Bob" Thornton (1880-1964) purchased the Kerens sculpture for $750 and commissioned Dallas-based artist Jackson T. "Jack" Bridges (1910-2001) to convert Santa Claus into Tex.

The original Tex stood 52 feet tall, wore a red-checkered shirt and featured a winking right eye. Two years later, Tex was wired for voice instillation. The statue, who gained the word "Big" in front of his name, underwent periodic wardrobe and cosmetic changes, including a fiberglass head. Beginning in the 1950s, the organizers of the state fair loaned the Big

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Tex statue to various events across the state. As time passed, the statue became an enduring part of the State Fair experience and a recognizable symbol of Texas. Big Tex has been featured in media projects including movies, TV shows and comic books. Over the years, the State Fair of Texas organization utilized the Big Tex symbol in various community projects, including Big Tex Urban Farms and the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship program. The statue was rebuilt after a 2012 fire. Since 1952, the Big Tex statue has remained a treasured centerpiece of the State Fair and Texan culture.

Erected 2024 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 24209.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1949.

Location. 32° 46.79′ N, 96° 45.735′ W. Marker is in Dallas, Texas, in Dallas County. It is in Fair Park. It is on Grand Avenue north of 1st Ave, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3809 Grand Ave, Dallas TX 75210, United States

Big Tex with Texas Historical Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by QuesterMark, October 11, 2026

2. Big Tex with Texas Historical Marker

of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Tribute to Texas Women in the Civil War (within shouting distance of this marker); Hall of State (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hall of Negro Life (about 800 feet away); Texas Centennial Exposition (approx. 0.2 miles away); Continental D.A.R. House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Johnny Graham and Graham’s Barber Shop (approx. ¼ mile away); State Fair of Texas (approx. ¼ mile away); Fabulous Quarter Horse Steel Dust (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dallas.

More about this marker. This marker is inside Fair Park, next to where Big Tex is standing during the State Fair of Texas each year. The marker was unveiled October 4,

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2026.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2026, by QuesterMark of Fort Worth, Texas. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 12, 2026, by QuesterMark of Fort Worth, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.