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All the United States Texas Huntsville Sam Houston Statue

Sam Houston Statue

The world's tallest statue of an American hero.

Huntsville, Texas

Added By
Leah Caldwell
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  copyright jen lukehart
Sam Houston statue as seen from I-45 at 65 mph.   junkerk510 / Atlas Obscura User
  notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
Made of 30 tons of concrete and steel.   LeahC / Atlas Obscura User
Big Sam towers over the Texas interstate at 67-feet.   LeahC / Atlas Obscura User
Tribute to Courage   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
The face   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Sam Houston   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Our Mobile Journey / Atlas Obscura User
  Our Mobile Journey / Atlas Obscura User
  copyright jen lukehart
Statue is right off the highway   SemiruralYeti / Atlas Obscura User
  copyright jen lukehart
  sundragon600 / Atlas Obscura User
  notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
World’s largest statue of an America Hero!   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  sundragon600 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The 67-foot tall, gleaming white statue of Sam Houston, dubbed "Big Sam," towers over Texas Interstate-45. Billed as the “World’s Tallest Statue of an American Hero,” it was completed in 1994 with 30 tons of concrete and steel and then set atop a 10-foot high granite base. Big Sam’s location in Huntsville - as opposed to Houston’s namesake city an hour away - is due to the fact that the two-time president of the former Republic of Texas lived and died here, with his grave located in a nearby cemetery.

Every year to mark Sam Houston's birthday, students from nearby Sam Houston State University march from the University Campus to his gravesite at Oakwood Cemetery where speeches are given to honor this Hero of the Republic of Texas.

Huntsville is the home of the Wall's Unit which houses Texas's death row, with over 400 prisoners executed since 1974. The city's environs are largely marked by SHSU, museums and different prison units. The stark and impersonal blank white of the statue echo the isolation of these units and make "Big Sam's" presence along the highway a jarring and surprising social and historical critique.

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Monuments Statues World's Tallest

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Located at 7600 Highway 75 South. Take exits 109 or 112 from I-45.

Community Contributors

Added By

LeahC

Edited By

Lexie Del Rey, jenlukehart, Blindcolour, MagnumPI...

  • Lexie Del Rey
  • jenlukehart
  • Blindcolour
  • MagnumPI
  • rockysperling
  • notoriousFIG
  • junkerk510
  • Our Mobile Journey
  • SemiruralYeti
  • Jason Michael Walker
  • sundragon600

Published

March 6, 2011

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Sam Houston Statue
I-45
Huntsville, Texas, 77340
United States
30.661159, -95.510652
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Nearby Places

Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery

Huntsville, Texas

miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Huntsville

Huntsville

Texas

Places 2

Nearby Places

Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery

Huntsville, Texas

miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Huntsville

Huntsville

Texas

Places 2

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