Pay a visit to larger-than-life homages to Sam Houston at these striking memorials, statues and sculptures across the greater Houston area and beyond.
In addition to being Texas Independence Day, March 2 is also the birthday of Sam Houston himself. In honor of the day, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite spots in Houston (and one well outside of it) that pay respect to our great city’s namesake.
The Sam Houston Monument at Hermann Park – Houston’s longest-standing sculptural tribute to General Sam Houston debuted in 1925. Depicting Houston leading the charge at the Battle of San Jacinto, the 20-foot tall bronze statue permanently strides atop a 25-foot tall marble arch. Even if you pass the statue every day in traffic or running at Hermann Park, crossing the street to visit the roundabout its star resident promises an entirely new perspective on the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the stately reflecting pool and Hermann Park beyond it.
Mount Rush Hour/ American Statesmanship Park – Created in 2008 by prolific sculptor and Sam Houston champion David Adickes, this roadside attraction is situated at the merging of I-10 and I-45. You can pay a visit directly, just don’t expect to see much more than a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood and four 18-foot Texan and American presidential busts.
Downtown’s Sam Houston Park – Although the city’s very first park bears Sam Houston’s name, there’s curiously no specific sculpture, landmark or monument to the city’s namesake. The park itself is an anachronism in Downtown, with a wide rolling space lined with 10 historic homes and structures from the city’s early days. The park is open from dawn to dusk.
Sam Houston Statue in Huntsville – If you just can’t get enough Sam Houston, hop in the car and head north on I-45 to Huntsville. You won’t be able to miss the 67-foot tall Sam Houston, standing on a 10-foot tall pedestal, on the route. Also created by David Adickes, Houston’s head was created from the same mold that was used for Mount Rush Hour. The statue is the tallest statue of an American hero in the world.
