For 60 years Big Tex has stood near the entrance to the midway at the State Fair of Texas, greeting visitors as they walk by. They were going to have cake and everything for his 60th birthday this year. "Howdy Folks, Welcome to the State Fair of Texas" and making other comments off and on through the day. Big Tex Every few years the Dickies clothing company would make him a new outfit and pieces of the old one sometimes would be used as contest prizes by local radio stations. This morning there was a short in the wiring in one of his boots and all that is left of him are his arms and metal frame. http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Fire-lea ... 51021.html This is the last weekend of the fair and thankfully the fire happened early enough in the morning that there were just a few visitors there and no one was injured.....except for Big Tex of course They will rebuild him but it probably won't be the same. I know he was just a large mechanical icon but it really makes me sad to think about him being gone....for now.
What a pity that such a well loved icon has been destroyed. I hope they can rebuild him and make him look (as close as possible) to the origional. May he still be around for the next 60+ years.
Texas seems to be falling apart at the seams. In addition to the immolation of Big Tex, our other world-wide recognized icon, The Alamo, is endangered. This is from the San Antonio Express newspaper: "Remember the Alamo" may take on new meaning if the building becomes a heap of rubble.
If you don't do the upkeep things are doomed to be a memory. The Alamo most of us know, Big Tex.....O.K. we all need icons to give us that sense of familiarity. I hope both are maintained, we loose too much of our heritage each year. Jerry
Sad about Big Tex. I only saw him once.. way back in my college days. Probably time for a new and improved one. But the Alamo.... that's even sadder. Some of our "treasures" all just falling apart. Kinda like we're experiencing with "The Battleship" down here. They are working so hard keeping her afloat. I feel old.
Big Tex was even on our news all day yesterday way up here. He made it big time. They say he will be re-clothed by next year. That's good.
I seen that on news.And yes Hope USA can spend some $$$$ to help memories here.Want to do away with covered bridges in NE Iowa-or The Field Of Dreams baseball Field.
Koszta, refurbishing Big Tex and preserving the Alamo are Texas' responsibilities. I just hope we step up and do what is right--keeping our heritage for the next generations.
Big Tex will be repaired with private funds. The State Fair of Texas is a private, non-profit corporation that receives no funding from federal, state or local government. They will gladly accept donations I am sure. I believe the Daughters of The Republic of Texas are responsible for fund raising to make repairs to the Alamo, not the state. The voters of Texas approved the state funding of $25 million to dry dock and do major repairs to the Battleship Texas and the Battleship Texas foundation raised another $4 million. That work should begin in 2017 And I believe the USS Lexington berthed in Corpus Christi is privately funded through the TSCAR (Texas Society of the Children of the American Revolution) and through bonds sold by the city...the Lexington committee paid off the bonds making the final payment to the city back in Feb 2012 with the help of over 7 million visitors to the ship. So I don't think any of those projects will be begging for Federal funding but instead accepting donations from Texans.
This just made BBC News this morning also Toni. I can imagine that it is quite sad for those who grew accustomed to seeing him year in / year out. He now resembles The Wicker Man from the film of the same name http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... Poster.jpg Sad
