We keep finding interesting statues and yard art in our travels. Rather than expand on the original Metal Menagerie post, I hope to make this a series. So, here is the second installment!
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It’s been a while since we’ve been on an adventure. Kristi started a new teaching job at a local school district this past August, and naturally, we’re both sick from whatever the children brought to school with them after summer break. Plus, I’ve been super busy with work.
I’ve held onto these images for a while in the hope of having enough to make a new post. But considering that it has been a few months since I have posted anything, I decided it was time to go ahead and use what we’ve got.
The Trinity Wildman
The very sweet people who purchased our previous house suggested visiting The Trinity Wildman in Trinity, Texas. We had never heard of this art piece, even though we live fairly close to it. So, we determined that we had to go visit. Wow! What a display!
The Wildman statue was made by Jim Robertson, who owns Overdrive Studios, an art studio located on the property. It is based on 19th century spiked costumes from Germany that were worn by people who wrestled bears. Yes, bear wrestling. Because why not? It is covered in over 1,000 railroad spikes and the eyes light up red at night. A YouTuber named Robb Zipp made an interesting video on the piece:
Wildman Statue – Trinity, Texas
Nearby is a metal bird bird cage–a metal cage for metal birds, I guess.
And here is the front gate to the studio. I love how the cubes seem to just pop out and float away!
There are many other pieces on display here, so I encourage you to drive by and see them for yourself. A link to the location of the exhibit is below:
Overdrive Studios in Trinity, Texas
Madisonville Minion
Just north of Madisonville, Texas this minion waves to passersby from the side of the I-45 service road. It is visible from the interstate, but if you want to get a closer look, then you will need to be on the service road.
The easiest way to reach it is to take the OSR exit. If you are traveling north (from Madisonville), then you will need to cross over the interstate and turn left. If you are southbound, then just stay on the service road. The statue will be on your right a little before you reach Hendrix Lane.
After visiting the statue, get back onto the interstate and drive north a few miles to Centerville, and then stop and eat at one of the Woody’s Smokehouse locations. There’s one on each side of the interstate, so you don’t have an excuse not to stop.
Transformer
This Transformer (or in the style of a Transformer, someone please let me know if this is an official character) is located in front of Bray’s Motor Museum & Playground, north of Madisonville, Texas on the west side of I-45 along the service road. The museum has several classic and novelty vehicles, and a track where you can pay to drive classic cars! We are planning on visiting someday.
The Raven
The campus of Sam Houston State University hosts several pieces of art, both on the grounds and in the buildings. Artist Ed Wilson was commissioned by the university to build a sculpture in honor of Sam Houston, whose Cherokee name was Colonneh (Raven). The statue is 21 feet tall and weighs 7,000 pounds. That’s a big bird!
The Raven is located near the intersection of Bowers Blvd and Avenue I, across from the SHSU Coliseum Parking Garage.
The Brady Elk
While exploring Brady, Texas back in May 2024 we drove down a side road on our way to our favorite Dollar Tree. Along the way we came across this statue of what appears to be an elk. Elk are not common in Texas–most are located on ranches, as I understand–so I was curious why this place had one on display. After some quick research (Google) I found that this was Sanctuary in The Heart venue. A review of their website reveals that they have other interesting pieces on display in the courtyard. I never found out why an elk, in particular, is out front. Maybe the owners liked it but didn’t have room elsewhere to display it?
Cattlemen, Cowboys, and Drovers
Mason, Texas has gotten to be one of our favorite places to visit. It is a proud community with a rich history. In celebration of the Texas Sesquicentennial in 1986, the Capitol Granite and Marble Company of Austin, Texas hired artist Mitch Mikeska to create this bronze statue entitled, “Cattlemen, Cowboys, and Drovers” in honor of Mason’s long history of ranching. The statue was donated to the county and sits on the eastern side of the square next to the sidewalk.
If you would like to learn more about the history of Mason, Texas, then I highly recommend the book, Good Times: Clay Lindsay. A Good Man from Mason, Texas (Second Edition) by my friend, Deloris Haley Lindsay. The book covers many topics related to Mason and the surrounding area, including the community’s early history, prominent families, and the infamous Mason County Hoo Doo War.
Old Yeller Monument
The Old Yeller Monument is located in front of the Mason County Public Library a few blocks south of the Mason County Courthouse. It depicts Travis Coates and his beloved dog from the Fred Gipson novel, Old Yeller. The bronze sculpture was created in 1999 by sculptor Garland Weeks. It features many hidden surprises that are fun to look for!
Spooky, Scary Skeleton Peep
And, finally, while this is not technically metal, I present to you one of our off-the-beaten-path finds while we were out looking at wildflowers this spring:
I don’t know what sort of sick, twisted person would erect something like this, but I bet we could be friends.
Great collection of metal art works. It makes me wish I had learned something about metal working.
Love them all. Thanks for the book recommendation. I think I’ll check into it!