A Tribute to Courage monument is a statue of Sam Houston located in Huntsville, Texas (where Sam Houston lived and died), which is 65 miles north of the city of Houston (named in his honor). Sam Houston is one of the founding fathers of Texas. He led the army of Texas during their War for Independence from Mexico in 1836, including the victory at San Jacinto (about 100 miles from the statue) where Texas won her independence by defeating Mexican President Santa Ana in the field. The statue by sculptor David Adickes is 67 feet tall and was built in 1994.[1] It is clearly visible to motorists heading north on Interstate 45. It is the ninth-tallest statue in the United States. It was vandalized with graffiti in March 2008.[2]
Visitor center and gift shop
Located off of Exit 112 for Veterans Memorial Parkway on I-45 North is a white building that resembles the Steamboat House that Sam Houston lived and died in. While this building is not the actual home, it does contain a small visitor center on one side of the breezeway, and a gift shop on the other. Within the visitor center are many boards that contain information about Sam Houston, the artist of the statue, David Adickes, and some facts about Huntsville itself. The gift shop contains many small souvenirs like keychains, magnets, stickers, and t-shirts.
References
- ^ "Giant Statue of Sam Houston". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
- ^ Edwards, Kristin (March 20, 2008). "Sam Houston statue vandalized". The Huntsville Item. Retrieved February 20, 2022.