Sculptor David Adickes knew what a monumental character Sam Houston was when he set out to memorialize the man in 1992. Adickes, who died in July, grew up in Huntsville, where the historical figure loomed large; he even attended Sam Houston State Teachers College before heading to art school, living internationally, and eventually returning to Texas to craft gigantic masterpieces.
Weighing 30 tons and standing 67 feet tall above Interstate 45, the statue took more than two years to build. Titled A Tribute to Courage, the artwork is a testament to the larger-than-life reputation of the first president of the Republic of Texas. Hidden just behind the monument is a mock-up of Houston’s face (above), one of several Adickes made when developing the statue.
It now acts as a centerpiece of the small amphitheater outside the Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center. There, you can learn about the making of the statue and Houston’s history, as well as the secret hidden in the right leg of Adickes’ towering statue: a 1999 time capsule awaiting excavation in 2099.
