{"id":38,"date":"2014-10-21T17:19:01","date_gmt":"2014-10-21T21:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/?p=38"},"modified":"2018-01-09T11:50:55","modified_gmt":"2018-01-09T16:50:55","slug":"howdy-from-big-tex-and-the-record-breaking-texas-state-fair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/2014\/10\/21\/howdy-from-big-tex-and-the-record-breaking-texas-state-fair\/","title":{"rendered":"Howdy from Big Tex and the Record Breaking Texas State Fair"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Big<\/a>The annual celebration of all things fried, also known as the State Fair of Texas, wrapped up its 2014 season with record breaking numbers last weekend. According to published reports, the nation\u2019s largest state fair generated a whopping 42 million dollars this year, smashing the previous record of 37.3 million dollars set in 2010. The event held each year at Dallas\u2019s Fair Park attracts Texas-sized crowds from far and wide to ride the rides, chow down on some fried (insert most any edible concoction imaginable here), and, of course, proffer Big Tex a hospitable howdy.<\/p>\r\n

Pulled from the Lester Strother Texas Metro Records Collection, the accompanying photos of the Texas State Fair during the 1960s highlight just how much the Midway has changed-and remained the same-over the years. Standing tall to welcome the crowds to the fair in the above image is the beloved figure of Big Tex.<\/p>\r\n

As the most recognizable symbol of the State Fair, the 55 ft. structure known as Big Tex was heartily welcomed back to the fairgrounds last year after his spectacularly crackling demise in 2012. (For those unfamiliar with the fiery calamity, Big Tex sadly succumbed to injuries sustained when he inadvertently doubled as bonfire kindling and went up in flames during the final week of the 2012 State Fair.)<\/p>\r\n

Big Tex\u2019s triumphant return to the fairgrounds last year marked only one of a number of transformations the giant cowboy has undergone since his original manifestation as a 49 ft. Santa Claus built by the city of Kerens, Texas in 1949. After only two years spreading holiday cheer in Kerens, the looming iron and paper-mache Santa decided to trade in his white beard and red suit for a cowboy hat and boots when he was sold to the Texas State Fair. Since his fairground debut in 1952, Big Tex has continuously undergone several outfit, structural, and voice changes. Of course, the biggest transformation to occur to the colossal cowboy since his early conversion from jolly old Santa was in 2013 when he re-emerged from the ashes of 2012 3 feet taller and sporting a nifty fire suppression system should he start to feel a little hot under the collar again. And this year witnessed even further enhancements to the re-incarnation of Big Tex: a brand new outfit and 9 additional movements, including the entertaining (or somewhat terrifying) ability to raise his arm and point down at fair-goers.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The annual celebration of all things fried, also known as the State Fair of Texas, wrapped up its 2014 season with record breaking numbers last weekend. According to published reports, the nation\u2019s largest state fair generated a whopping 42 million dollars this year, smashing the previous record of 37.3 million dollars set in 2010. The… Read more »<\/a>","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p60UnY-C","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":360,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/2015\/09\/30\/how-cool-is-the-state-fair-of-texas\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":0},"title":"How Cool is the State Fair of Texas?","author":"Alexandra","date":"September 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 The 2015 State Fair of Texas has been up and running for a full 6\u00a0days now, and hopes are high to beat\u00a0the record-breaking numbers it saw last year. A welcome reprieve from the hot lines at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, families are excited for the cool weather\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Big Tex\"","block_context":{"text":"Big Tex","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/tag\/big-tex\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"An aerial view of the State Fair of Texas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-052-002_01-740x601.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-052-002_01-740x601.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-052-002_01-740x601.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-052-002_01-740x601.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":393,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/2015\/10\/07\/the-cotton-bowl-the-house-that-doak-built\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":1},"title":"The Cotton Bowl, The House that Doak Built","author":"Alexandra","date":"October 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In the years following World War II, Doak Walker (a.k.a. \u201cThe Doaker\u201d) was the college football favorite. A true All-American, Doak led the SMU Mustangs in academics, athletics, and leadership, leaving behind a solid legacy for all Mustangs to come. He entered Southern Methodist University as a Freshman in 1945\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Cotton Bowl\"","block_context":{"text":"Cotton Bowl","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/tag\/cotton-bowl\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Aerial photograph of the Cotton Bowl stadium in Fair Park. From the Lester Strother Texas Metro Collection. UNTA_AR0327-101-002","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-101-001-1-740x604.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-101-001-1-740x604.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-101-001-1-740x604.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/09\/UNTA_AR0327-101-001-1-740x604.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/2014\/06\/13\/red-river-showdown\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":2},"title":"Red River Showdown","author":"Morgan","date":"June 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"With the much celebrated announcement this week that the Red River Showdown would remain at the Cotton Bowl until the year 2025, an 85 year-old Dallas tradition was upheld. Each year, Dallas becomes awash in a sea of burnt orange and red as legions of fans from north and south\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/CottonBowl.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/CottonBowl.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/CottonBowl.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/CottonBowl.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":523,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/2016\/01\/27\/storybook-land\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":3},"title":"Storybook Land","author":"Alexandra","date":"January 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In 1956, Mother Goose and her brood settled down in the metroplex. Storybook Land opened in April of that year to the delight of area children, who flocked with their families to the theme park located just east of Carter Field on Highway 183. 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The booth served tamales, enchiladas, and chili and brought in $300 in profit-more than the family usually made in a year from farming. From these humble\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/Cuellar.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/Cuellar.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/Cuellar.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2015\/04\/Cuellar.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":126,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/southwest-metroplex\/2015\/05\/19\/the-texas-triangle\/","url_meta":{"origin":38,"position":5},"title":"The Texas Triangle","author":"UNT Special Collections","date":"May 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 The collections being exposed within the Southwest Metroplex blog all share the chaos and excitement that overcame the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the decades following World War II. 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