1936 Texas Centennial Exposition And History

From left to right: Mirabeau B. Lamar, Ben Milam (in Cameron), Anson Jones, George Childress. The Medallion, Texas Historical Commission, Special Commemorative Edition, Statues of the State, July/August, 2011, p. 6.


"The Texas centennial of 1936 provided sculptors with an opportunity to create enduring works of public art that still remain today. Among its various Centennial projects, the State of Texas sponsored a public statuary program that memorialized 19 historical figures in 20 bronze statues erected across the state.

The Board of Historians selected the historical figures who were to be the subjects of the proposed statues and picked geographic locations for the statues. In June 1935, the three board members—Louis Wiltz Kemp, J. Frank Dobie, and Paul Foik—held public hearings in Austin to receive proposals from counties or cities that wanted one of the bronze statues. Kemp dominated the decisions made by the Board of Historians. The final selection of statue subjects and locations reflected his historical opinions.

Kemp had a very traditional, Anglo-centric view of Texas history with a heavy emphasis on politics and government as the chief components of the Lone Star State's past. When the Board made its final decisions, every appointed and elected president of the Republic of Texas became the subject of a statue, along with Moses Austin, Stephen F. Austin, and R.E.B. Baylor. Military heroes James Bowie, Richard Dowling, Sidney Sherman, James Butler Bonham, and Ben Milam were also selected as statue subjects.



From left to right: George Childress, Henry Smith, J.O. Meusebach, David Burnet. The Medallion, Texas Historical Commission, Special Commemorative Edition, Statues of the State, July/August, 2011, p. 7.



There was one case of duplication. The people of the Alamo City insisted on a statue of Ben Milam to be placed in downtown Milam Park near the Santa Rosa Hospital, in so doing immortalizing the famous 1835 battle cry, 'Who will follow old Ben Milam into San Antonio.' Kemp, however, was a native of Cameron in Milam County, and he too wanted a Milam statue for the county of his birth. Hence, Ben Milam became the subject of two centennial statues by different sculptors; one in San Antonio and the other in Cameron.

Once selection of the statue subjects and proposed locations had been made by the Board of Historians, John V. Singleton as head of the Centennial Board of Control, and a committee of artistic advisors chaired by sculptor Evaline Sellors, began its work. This consisted of choosing the individual sculptors and issuing contracts to be paid with state funds for the respective statues.

On March 26, 1936, several dozen sculptors brought approximately 60 small statue models, or maquettes, to the State Capitol in Austin, where they were arranged in the basement hallways for inspection by the selection committee of seven jurors headed by Evaline Sellors. The jury examined 'the models and based their recommendations on historic accuracy and artistic value.'

In the end, Singleton and Sellors awarded only four bronze statue contracts as a result of the March 1936 competition, which were paid for with state money. These were the statues of Dick Dowling at Sabine Pass, Jim Bowie at Texarkana, Richard Ellis at Waxahachie, and John O. Meusebach in Fredericksburg. These four statues carry the credit line 'Erected by the State of Texas 1936.'



From left to right: Jose Antonio Navarro, James Butler Bonham, James Bowie, Stephen F. Austin, Richard 'Dick' Dowling, The Medallion, Texas Historical Commission, Special Commemorative Edition, Statues of the State, July/August, 2011,
p. 8.


After these four statue contracts had been awarded state funds ran out and no additional money was available to implement the Board of Historians' recommendations. In the late summer of 1936, the United States Centennial Commission came to the rescue of the project and assumed fiduciary control of the bronze statuary program. Webb Roberts thereafter oversaw completing the remainder of the proposed statues.

By the start of 1937, most of the contracts for the remaining 16 of the proposed statues had been issued with federal government funds and the artists were busily at work under Robert's supervision. The 16 statues underwritten by the United States Centennial Commission each carry the notice: 'Erected by the State of Texas 1936 with funds appropriated by the Federal Government to commemorate one hundred years of Texas independence.' In spite of this inscription, most of them were finished in 1937 or 1938.

Between the two phases of the program, 20 statues were sculpted including Jose Antonio Navarro (Corsicana), James Butler Bonham (Bonham), Stephen F. Austin (San Felipe), Sidney Sherman (Galveston), Richard Ellis (Waxahachie), James Pinckney Henderson (San Augustine), R.E.B. Baylor (Waco), Ben Milam (two statues, one in Cameron and one in San Antonio), Anson Jones (Anson), Mirabeau B. Lamar (Richmond), Henry Smith (Brazoria), James Bowie (Texarkana), Thomas J. Rusk (Henderson), Peter H. Bell (Belton), Richard 'Dick' Dowling (Sabine Pass), George C. Childress (Washington-on-the-Brazos), David G. Burnet (Clarksville), Moses Austin (San Antonia), and John O. Meusebach (Fredericksburg).



From left to right: Richard 'Dick' Dowling, R.E.B. Baylor, Peter H. Bell, Sidney Sherman, Moses Austin. The Medallion, Texas Historical Commission, Special Commemorative Edition, Statues of the State, July/August, 2011, p. 9.


It is impossible to make some general observations about these bronze statues that rendered sculptural portraits of 19 individuals from Texas history. The four statues erected with Board of control Funds are smaller, different if proportion from one another, and have variance in artistic styles, especially in the design of their pedestals. The 16 statues of the second wave supervised by Roberts are larger, have a common style, and have very Art Deco-like bases that show a common architectural norm.

All 20 statues are located in a place somehow related to the life of the individual memorialized. The statues reflect the historical viewpoints of Kemp regarding a heroic vision of the Texas Revolution. Only one statue, Dick Dowling, is from the era of the Civil War. All the others are historical figures related to Anglo-American settlement or who were active in the Texas Revolution. All of the subjects are male and all but one is an Anglo-American. The exception is Jose Antonio Navarro, whose statue was placed at Corsicana.

Although the Texas Centennial is often identified today as a high point of the Art Deco architectural movement, perhaps because of the iconic buildings still standing at Fair Park in Dallas, these 20 statues hark back to the artistic style of Beaux-Arts neo-classicism that centered in the City Beautiful movement. And, importantly, it must be noted that each of these statues has survived for more than 70 years.

Although several statues have been moved short distances from their original locations, sometimes only a few steps away, each of them still stands at the general site where3 they were placed during the Texas Centennial celebration. These statues constitute a living artistic legacy for Texas that te4lls us as much about the historical proclivities of the Texas Centennial as they do about the historic figures they memorialize."5


5 The Medallion, Texas Historical Commission, Special Commemorative Edition, Statues of the State, by Dr. Light T. Cummins, the State Historian of Texas. July/August, 2011, p. 6-9.

Thanks again!

I'm from Collin County Tx and during the Centennial they put up a statue of James Throckmorton (former Governor) on the northeast side of the courthouse. The statue was designed by Coppini (the same guy that designed the Centennial Half dollar). Throckmorton's hand is outstretched as if welcoming people to Texas. Just so happens us wayward juveniles of the 50's and 60's figured out that Throckmorton's outstretched hand would also conveniently fit around a beer bottle.

There were many weekend nites that Gov Throckmorton "shared" a beer with us! Another Texas tradition!

I have not been to Texas in over 15 years. If I ever get back there I will have plenty of things on my to-do list.

Oh wow! Very interesting facts!

Yes, I found this page that has a picture of it (lots of other interesting texas-related info on the site as well):
http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/M...urthouse.htm



I've actually been planning a camping trip to west Texas for later this fall, and was planning to pass through Loving Co. on the way.

My dad lived there for six years. A good friend just moved from there this summer, so I no longer have an immediate reason to go. At some point I want to drive across the country with my family like I did when I was younger. That will be my best opportunity.


Excellent!

Kefiroth...

They issued multiple years of Texas Half dollars, along with different year coins from other events around that era, to raise as much money as possible. This abuse eventually led to the banning of commems in 1954 until the Washington Half was issued in 1982.

Being a Native Texan, I've always been partial to the Texas Centennial Half and at one time accumulated a pretty good hoard of around 150 of them. (It has long since been dispersed but I've started another one since prices are a little depressed right now). For strike, quality and symbolism I've always favored the 1936's. For ease of getting a coin the 1934 is the way to go. For mintage rarity you can go with a 1938. By and large the toughest coins to find with nice strike and luster are the 1938's. They seem to generally come poorly struck and fairly ugly with very subdued surfaces.

The coin has a very busy design but is addicting. Good luck in your search!