If you head north on Interstate 45 (from The Woodlands) for about half an hour, you’ll eventually get to the all-white Sam Houston Statue that you’ve probably passed countless times before. Mr. Houston seems to appear out of nowhere, a ghostly, thought-provoking vision that I've grown to really look forward to approaching. After admiring the statue from the highway year after year on our trips to Dallas and beyond, we finally decided to stop and have a closer look. It was worth it!
The tallest statue that exists of an American hero, the Sam Houston statue is made of concrete and steel and stands a total of about 77 feet high. The figure itself is 67 feet, while the granite base is another 10 feet in height. In a word, it’s massive.
I thought we’d stop for a couple of minutes and take a photo with Sam and then hurry back to the highway, but there was a bit more to see. The Sam Houston Statue Visitors Center located at 7600 State Highway 75 S in Huntsville (at exit exit 112, where I-45 interesects with Hwy 75) was a convenient stop on our way to the Texas State Fair, but I recommend paying the place a visit even if you aren’t heading further out of town.
It’s an easy, charming stop. We parked in the parking lot, and as we walked up the steps, the clerk rushed out of the building to get our zip code for check-in and then told us where the restrooms and the statue were, and we were on our way. The path there was short - just a few dozen yards – cute, and wooded, with clean picnic tables for sitting down to enjoy a lunch, in case you're not in a hurry.
But we WERE in a hurry, and we couldn't wait to get to the real deal Holyfield (errr... I mean, Houstonfield). But first, this huge head sculpture (below) was a pleasant surprise along the path. Who knew there would be a second image to see here? Also, not shown in the photos below is the small amphitheater with tiered seating area where a group can sit and congregate:
Alright, we have our photos, now ON. TO. THE. GINORMOUS. STATUE. ALREADY!
Please pay no mind to my mug shot below. (We were headed out of town, and I just wanted to be makeup-free and comfy).
The statue itself was a glorious sight! You’ve seen it from the highway, so you already know, but seeing it up close was really cool.
By the way, to learn more about Sam Houston, I found this YouTube video that my kids rolled their eyes at having to watch, but you might enjoy it (I did!).
Before we left, we stopped inside the visitor center building for brochures and pamphlets, free coloring / activity books for the little ones, a photo in front of the fireplace, and complimentary coffee (from the Keurig), then a quick stop at the gift shop in the adjacent building for these jumbo pens.
And back on the road in half an hour flat! (Why is my naughty 14-year-old giving me rabbit ears?)
