This soaringly heroic Art Deco relief sculpture of Davy Crockett, a hero of the Alamo, stands in a place of pride on the south side of the plaza in downtown Ozona. The sculptor, William McVey, created this artwork for the Texas Centennial celebration of 1936. It was installed in 1939.
This relief sculpture is carved out of a solid block of Texas pink granite. It depicts the familiar figure of Davy Crockett in his buckskin clothes holding his flintlock rifle, facing west with a steely gaze. Could this be the moment he decided to leave Tennessee for Texas, with his famous quote "You may all go to Hell. I will got to Texas!" Or could it be the day he died in the siege of the Alamo, staring down the Mexican Army from the Long Barracks of the Alamo.
This is a mythic and heroic statue, definitely NOT life-sized. His flintlock rifle is as tall as he is -- everything about this legendary figure in Texas history is outsized, and this elegant sculpture captures the mythic qualities of the man and the legend of the man, perfectly.
On the front of the bottom of the sculpture his name is carved: CROCKETT
On the front of the base, one of his famous quotes: "BE SURE THAT YOU ARE RIGHT, AND THEN GO AHEAD
On the back of the sculpture, a brief (but epic) biography appears:
DAVID CROCKETT
WAS BORN IN
TENNESSEE ON
AUGUST 17, 1786
PARTICIPATED IN
THE CREEK INDIAN
CAMPAIGN 1813-1814
MEMBER OF THE
TENNESSEE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
1821-1823.UNITED
STATES CONGRESSMAN
FROM TENNESSEE
1827-1831 AND 1833-1835
ARRIVED IN TEXAS
IN JANUARY 1836
DIED A HERO AT
THE ALAMO MARCH
THE SIXTH 1836
Oddly enough -- according to the Crockett County Museum, this statue was not even supposed to BE here. It was supposed to be in east Texas, which is the place that Crockett camped on his first night in Texas. Blasterz guess this explains the time lag -- most centennial sculptures were installed in 1936, but this one is why it was carved for the centennial but not installed until 1938: (
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"Davy Crockett Memorial
A memorial to David Crockett, a hero of the Battle of the Alamo, stands at the south end of Ozona’s town square.
The statue, carved from a block of native Texas granite, was set at the town square park on Dec. 31, 1938, the last of a number of memorials to Texas heroes paid for from funds left from money appropriated by the state to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 1936. The Texas Centennial Commission allowed $7,500 for the memorial.
Ozona Stockman stories of the time gave statistics of the statue. The figure is carved from a block of granite some 12 feet in length and three feet square. The figure stands on a foundation slab of granite nearly the same size. The granite used in both pieces weighed nearly 20 tons. At the base of the statue is the name Crockett and the words “Be sure you are right, then go ahead.” A brief outline of outstanding facts of Crockett’s life appears on the back of the statue.
The statue was placed on its base Dec. 31, 1938. Dedication was accomplished with great fanfare on the opening day of the 12th annual Rodeo, Race Meet, Stock Show and Sale June 27, 1939. Rep. Dorsey Hardeman, himself a native of Crockett’s home state, Tennessee, delivered the principal address. Judge C.E. Davidson accepted the memorial on behalf of the county.
It was later learned that the statue was originally scheduled to be erected in Crockett, Texas, but when a suitable location was not available in Crockett it was offered to Crockett County and accepted.
The statue remains in the park as a tribute to David Crockett for whom the county was named. Many a traveler has been photographed sitting on the statue’s base."