Back in 1994, not long after I had relocated to Dallas, Texas after graduating from Mississippi State University and completed my R.D. in nutrition at Presbyterian Hospital, I was cruising along Highway 45 heading to Houston when, completely out of the blue, a giant figure in white popped up out of nowhere and my head whipped to the left to stare at it and look up at its statuesque beauty. Fortunately, I have never been an aggressive driver, and was not tailing anyone or I might have ended up in someone’s bumper, but I tapped my brakes and kept moving.
I later mentioned the incident to my newlywed husband, as we had married in April of that year. I believe my exact words were, “They should put mile markers on the highway about a tall statue at 5 miles, and again at 1 mile and 100 feet. It’s incredible, but shocking. Who is that, by the way?”
My husband, a life-long Texan and lover of history, immediately piped up with, “Sam Houston, of course.” Well, of course.
The monolith is actually named “A Tribute to Courage”, and was created by David Adickes in honor of General Sam Houston for his 200th birthday. However, due to project and weather delays, it was ultimately unveiled and dedicated on October 22, 1994. That day, the weather was perfect with the sun shining brightly, and celebrities and prominent figures such as Texas Governor Ann Richards, CBS Anchorman Dan Rather, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and others were in attendance on the exciting day.
In the summer of 2024, my daughter Jacquelyn worked for a U.S. Senator and a U.S. Congressman from the great state of Louisiana. You might wonder where I was born. I did get to Texas as fast as could, though, and have been married to a Texan for 30 years. As she proudly toured us through the Capitol building over the 4th of July, she explained that each state is allowed to display 2 statues of prominent figures from their history. Typically her Louisiana tours included Huey P. Long and Douglas White, however she made sure to take us to the Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston statues located there, and she pointed out the burnt orange plinths on which they stood. She said, “Most of my tours do not get to appreciate these, but I knew you would.” We certainly did. They remind us about the best of what Texas offers each of us—strength, courage, perseverance, and goodness in ourselves and in one another.
Written by Dallas Dermatologist, Ellen Turner, M.D.