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email: agilitynut@hotmail.com |
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| Cowboy Statues |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| Cowboy Mesquite, TX |
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| The Mesquite Cowboy is installed on the roof of Town East Plumbing. |
| Cowboy Wisconsin Dells, WI |
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| This Cowboy is a fairly recent creation styled after the International Fiberglass Muffler Man. It is about the same size. Around 2003, this statue was moved from a shopping center (first photo, top row) to a Mobil gas station (top row, other three photos). From 2008 until 2009, the statue was lying on his back behind the gas station. In 2009, he was repainted and installed in front of the Knuckleheads Family Entertainment Center where he stands today. For more, see this website. |
| Hansen Linda Liquor Store Wichita, KS |
F. McLintock's Saloon Pismo Beach, CA |
Cowboy Watertown, SD |
Cowboy San Antonio, TX |
Cowboy & Horse Duncan, OK |
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The Hansen Linda Liquor Store cowboy was originally installed at a Cowboy Cleaners. There were a dozen Cowboy Cleaners in Wichita by the late 1950s. The interiors featured a Western theme. This statue is about eight feet tall. I don't know if any of the other statues survived but this is the only one still on display. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
This 40 foot tall Pismo Beach Cowboy stands in front of F. McLintock's Saloon which has been here since the mid-1970s. It was carved from a Monterey cypress tree which used to stand next to the restaurant. The tree died of a bacterial disease and needed to be removed. An artist was called in to carve the statue from the tree. For more, see their website. This Watertown Cowboy is installed at a Cowboy Country Store, a local convenience store chain with three locations in town. This San Antonio Cowboy is located on the roof of the former Kallison's Western Wear store. The concrete statue has been there since at least the 1940s. The Cowboy & Horse in Duncan stand in front of Stockman's Tack & Supply. |
| Big Tex Texas State Fairgrounds Dallas, TX |
Cowboy Bienville, LA |
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Big Tex is 52 foot tall and weighs 3 tons. He was made of iron pipe from the oilfields in 1949 and started life as a Santa Claus in Kerens, TX. In 1951, he was sold to the Dallas State Fair. This Santa was used for the Christmas holidays and then converted into a cowboy in 1952. A voice box was added in 1953.
In 1997, he got a complete overhaul which included adding the waving arm. The iron pipes were replaced with steel. His head was originally made of papier-mache. He has been through several heads but, today, his head, hat, hands and boots are made of fiberglass. In the 1980s, he was moved to Kerens for their centennial celebration. Big Tex's head started turning in 2000 and, in 2002, he got a new wardrobe and voice. Big Tex has a 284 inch waist, a 185 inch inseam and a 30 foot tall chest (100 inch neck and 181 inch long sleeves). His pants are size 284W x 185L. His 75 gallon hat is five feet tall. His boots are size 70, measuring over seven feet tall. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. This Cowboy in Bienville appears to be a scaled-down simulation of Big Tex. The gas station/convenience store next to him was known as Boddie's Store. However, the building was vacant when these photos were taken in 2007. Does anyone know more about this statue? |
| Big JimBentleyville, PA |  |
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| Big Jim is a 20 foot tall steel statue of a cowboy. He was created in 1978 by James Krutz who installed him in front of his welding shop in Charleroi, PA. In 2007, the building's new owners wanted him removed. The artist's family decided to donate him to Charleroi. Ultimately, he was moved to nearby Bentleyville where he is on display in front of a Best Western hotel. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Tex Randall Canyon, TX |
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| Tex Randall is 47 feet tall and weighs seven tons. He was built in 1959 out of concrete, steel and wire mesh by Harry Wheeler. Originally known as "The Biggest Texan", he advertised for a Western store. He held a cigarette and wore real denim jeans and a red checkered shirt. He deteriorated over the years and was restored between 1987-1989. Giving in to political correctness, a spur was substitued for the cigarette in his hand. In 2008, it was announced that he was for sale and might be demolished. Danny Byrd purchased him for $5,000 and planned to move him to his restaurant. However, estimates to move him ran upwards of $50,000. In 2010, it was announced that the statue will be restored and a park will be built beneath him. You can help with fundraising for this project here. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Giant Cowboy Conlen, TX |
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| The Conlen Giant Cowboy is about 20 feet tall and appears to have been built in the 1960s or so. The Conlen Steak House behind the statue has been closed for many years. For more, see this website. |
| Cowboy Checotah, OK |
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| This Cowboy statue was originally located at a Western store in Tulsa. In 1970, J.C. Camp bought the statue and moved it to downtown Checotah. It was installed in front of his Western store until the late 1980s. Then, it was moved near the railroad tracks where it is located today. |
| Rustic Ranch Cowboy Denver, CO |
Casey Tibbs Fort Pierre, SD |
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The Rustic Ranch Cowboy is 30 feet tall and stands at the entrance to the Rustic Ranch Mobile Home and RV Park. He was created in 1955 by John Sutton. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [last photo thanks Crawford Appleby]
Casey Tibbs was rodeo star born 50 miles NW of Fort Pierre. This life-sized representation shows him riding the bucking bronco "Necktie" with a real horsehair mane and tail. It looks like there is a revolving base which no longer operates. I believe this statue was created in 1990. A nearly identical, 20 foot tall bronze statue was installed in 1989 at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, CO. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. |
| Saddle Ranch Chop House West Hollywood, CA |
Black Bear Motel Davenport, WA |
Pace's Hardware & Furniture Logansport, LA |
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The Saddle Ranch Chop House opened in 1999 and features this cowboy and horse, as well as other statues, in front of their restaurant. They also have the only mechanical bull in Los Angeles. For more, see their website.
The Black Bear Motel features another bucking horse and cowboy. The Logansport Cowboy is intalled above what used to be Pace's Hardware & Furniture. Although the hardware store is closed, the town is attached to the "Bucking Horse". There is a similar cowboy sign in Chicago, IL. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Cowboy & Bronco McAlester, OK |
Bittel Equestrian Center Owensboro, KY |
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Mill Run, PA |
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The McAlester Cowboy & Bronco statue was installed in Old Town by the City. The cowboy's prison stripes are a reference to the Oklahoma Outlaw Prison Rodeo which is held here annually.
The Owensboro Cowboy is located at the Bittel Equestrian Center which was previously known as "Cowboys". Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park has a cowboy and bronco at this location. |
| Bull Rider Sulphur Springs, TX |
Bull Rider Chelsea, OK |
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The Bull Rider statue in Sulphur Springs is located in front of the Best Western Trail Dust Inn & Suites.
The Bull Rider statue in Chelsea is installed in front of the Route 66 Mall. |
| Cowboy Osakis, MN |
Cowboy Brainerd, MN |
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This Cowboy statue in Osakis is installed in front of Osakis Meats & Deli.
This Cowboy statue in Brainerd is located at Paul Bunyan Land. There's another one of these statues at Wall Drug in Wall, SD. |
| Cowboy East Palatka, FL |
Cowboy Columbus, OH |
Cowboy Grove City, OH |
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| Cowboy Alexandria, OH |
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| former Cowboy Decatur, IL |
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These Cowboy statues originally stood in front of Western Pancake House restaurants. I don't know how many of these statues were produced. There were 10 of these restaurants built around the Columbus, OH area in the late 1960s. By the early 1970s, there were three dozen locations in the Midwest. The chain is long gone except for a new location which opened in 2009 in Grove City, OH.
The East Palatka Cowboy somehow found its way down South. The statue is on private property with several other statues including some elephants and giraffes. Evidently, kids' parties are held at the back of the property. The Columbus Cowboy is located on private property by the side of the road. The Grove City Cowboy is located at Columbus Auto Resale. He has been there since at least the late 1990s. The Alexandria Cowboy is installed in front of Wind Song Western World which sells Western apparel. The Decatur Cowboy has been modified to look like a biker. He sits on the roof of 22nd St. Discount Liquor. If you know of any other examples of these statues, I'd love to hear about them. For more, see this website. |
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More Giant Cowboys:
Pleasanton, TX |
|
Giants Main Page |
| RoadsideArchitecture.com |