Kerens Park Bicentennial Monument - Kerens, TX
N 32° 07.691 W 096° 13.619
14S E 761605 N 3558013
A small monument in a park in Kerens, TX was placed here to observe the Bicentennial.
Waymark Code: WMW0G7
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/21/2017
Views: 3
The monument is simple, of gray granite and rectangular in shape, and it says:
Bicentennial
1976
[Masonic compass and square]
Erected by
Relief Lodge 236
A.F. & A.M.
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In front of the monument is an apron with a flagpole, but there is no indication as to whether or not the flagpole was placed during the Bicentennial, or even if the park was created that year. Notable here, but placed long after the Bicentennial, is a sign noting Kerens as the birthplace of the iconic Big Tex:
Kerens, Texas is known as the "Birthplace of Big Tex", although his original incarnation was as a 49 foot tall Santa Claus constructed from iron drill casing and paper mache in 1949. The statue was an idea of Howell Brister, manager of the Chamber of Commerce, to encourage holiday sales in town. The "World's Largest Santa Claus" stood on the corner of SW 3rd and Colket Avenue for two holiday seasons, one year inside a chimney to keep his pants from blowing off, drawing media attention from as far away as Australia. Modeled after Kerens residents, Ottis F. Spurlock and Hardy P. Mayo, the figure was a town project built by the entire community who welded the frame, fabricated the body, sewed the clothing and unraveled rope for the beard. After two seasons, excitement around the statue faded and in 1951, State Fair President R.L. Thornton purchased Santa for $750 and had artist Jack Bridges transform Santa into a cowboy, giving birth to "Big Tex".
Big Tex traveled to his hometown of Kerens, Texas in 1981 to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city. Big Tex continues to be a marketing icon of the annual State Fair of Texas at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas but big Texas knows where home is.
Kerens Beautification Committee
Jeffrey Saunders, Mayor 2014
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There is ample street parking all around this unnamed park.
Address or General Location of Marker: S Colket Ave & SE 4th St, Kerens, TX
Parking: Not Listed
Supporting Web Documentation: Not listed
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