“Tex Randall,” the iconic 47-foot cowboy in Canyon, will be repaired soon, reports the Amarillo Globe-News. The Canyon Main Street program has raised $350,000 to complete the restoration, which will begin this fall.
The giant cowboy, who overlooks the Hereford Highway and was built by William Harry Wheeler in 1959, has fallen into disrepair in past decades due to inclement weather and neglectful owners. Tex will now be restored to his original look—minus the cigarette he once held. Canyon Main Street plans to build a park around the statue, with an information center informing visitors of Tex’s history and other attractions in the area.
The work will be completed by Rudd-Palmer Co. Inc. of Amarillo. “Y’know, everyone has some kind of memory of Tex Randall," said said Evelyn Ecker, executive director of Canyon Main Street. "Even if you do not live in Canyon, if you’ve traveled down Highway 60 maybe 40 years ago, you have a memory of Tex.”
