Sam Houston Statue

Stop by for the statue of World’s tallest statue of an American’s hero, but definitely stay for a picnic. A nice little break area with historical heritage. I stop early morning on my way to Galveston. I was truly surprised at how well kept the statue is and the details is wonderful. If you look closely at Govt. Houston’s left hand there is a ring and down on his right leg hidden away for another 75 years is a time capsule from 1999.

Fun little roadside attraction right off I45 with a 67 foot statue of Dam Houston. There is a small visitors center and gift store, picnic tables and clean restroom. All is handicapped accessible.

Grand huge white statue on the highway that towers above the pines. Nice visitirs center & gift shop with clean bathrooms, too. Free to check out base of statue. Texas fun spot with history, too.

Beautiful spot to stop. Don't miss the gift shop. We purchased some apple butter, blackberry preserves, blueberry preserves which were all delicious!

I always passed by this place as a kid on our way to Dallas, and I always wanted to go. So happy to finally stop by! It's a small park, but it's very beautiful.

Nice stop, clean restrooms. Easy walk. Great site. Informative.

Kids had a great time! It was cold but we enjoyed the family stop!

Awesome!!! This is an awesome place to VISIT. I came to grab some #geocaches!! I did a video chat with my daughter in Minneapolis so she could also see Sam. The Sam Houston Statue is fantastic. They no longer have a guest list inside the Welcome center. They do have free coffee. I also bought some postcards.

This is a very nice visitors center and a great place to start your visit to Huntsville, Texas. The center is right off of Interstate 45 and an exit north of the one for Huntsville State Park. There is a very large parking lot, the day we visited there was hardly anyone there so we found spaces right up close to the center. The center is a very nicely constructed building with a large deck and walkways that lead down to the trail to the large statue of Sam Houston nearby on the edge of the interstate. The staff inside were very nice, they have all kinds of brochures and handouts on places to visit in Huntsville and things to do. There is an outdoor small amphitheater area where I imagine a talk or lecture might be given on the life of Sam Houston; on the day of our visit nothing was happening but it was early in the morning and it was President's Day.

A great stop for a photo opportunity A specific IH-45 exit is available to view the monument and the visitor center and a path to view the monument

Very fun little stop on the way to Houston. I've seen this big guy a number of times, but on this trip, we had time for a stop. I was not expecting the gift shop, which was quite nice. It was fun seeing the cat too! A few steps from the gift shop is Sam the man. When you are standing at his feet, he looks a LOT bigger than zooming by on Interstate 45. If you have time, do check it out. You might find something worth buying in the gift shop, or pet a cat.

It's aging poorly, it needs renovation or a complete rebuild.they really fuqed it up when they added a freaking cliche' time capsule to the leg, I mean plastering looked like 2nd grader did it. Go when it's dry, to actually get a photo and all of same you must stand in an unsaved area. On a wet day your shoes will be muddy, with oxidized earth that will not clean.

Since they just had to go & let Mr. Sam Houston rock the new Texans gear, I had to check it for myself. This is super cool. The staff said it was the Texans' idea, so way to go!! This a great place to visit and the staff is super nice.

must visit. super tall tower of sam houston. there's a cat there also lots of painted rocks.

I'm not sure why this statue has been such a huge draw for me. It's been a bookmark for me to visit for a couple of years now, so it was fabulous to finally get here and see it! Visible from the highway and completely free to visit, the bright white statue is 67 feet tall and weights 60 tons. There is also a visitor center to get facts about this great man and an amphitheater where there are sometimes discussions and presentations. There is plenty of parking and a free restroom. This is Texas history and Texans are a very proud people. One interesting fact... the first word spoken from the Moon back to Earth? "Houston." that was followed by "The Eagle has landed." [Review 17382 overall - 399 in Texas - round number 900 of 2022.]

Giant statue just right beside the highway. Nice visitors center. Near to San Houston state park.

It's right off the freeway, did you ever stop to check it out?? Maybe not ?! But there is alot more to see! Good old Sam Houston is here, a Giant statue you can see from the freeway! When you come here to visit , instead of merely zooming by, you'll find out how the sculpture was made. It was an artistic and architectural feat! There is a path to walk, some picnic tables and another sculpture of Sam Houston's head, much smaller than the standing sculpture of him. The house and museum are pretty buildings with a large wrap-around veranda. I always love those. Some cool rocking chairs too. There is a gift shop, with all kinds of items and a history center that has lots of interesting facts, pictures, touristy stuff and explanations of things I never learned in school. You'll get to decide if he was an amazing hero. Enjoy!

If you've ever driven from Houston to Dallas, there's no way you haven't seen the picturesque statue of Sam Houston from the highway. I've driven past it on multiple occassions but I've never stopped to take a closer look. A trip to Huntsville changed all of that. I stopped by on a Thursday afternoon to see the largest statue of an American hero in the U.S. Admission is free to you can't beat that! Parking is easy. As you walk in, you'll see an ampitheater on the left and a gift shop on the right. I skipped the ampitheater so can't comment on that but the gift shop has an assortment of Sam Houston/Texas themed goodies. I got myself a little mini statue for my desk. From there, a short walk will take you to the statue. And it's an amazing statue at that. It's huge and only surpassed by the Statue of Liberty and one other statue in terms of height. Snap a couple of pictures and you're done. Won't take you long but it's well worth the visit!

Drove from Houston to Dallas and stopped here to check out the statues. Great photo opportunities and to learn about the history of Houston. There is a Visitor center, gift shop, amphitheater and restrooms. But not much else to do here really. It's a quick stop.

Freaking awesome statue!! Employees in the gift shop were so sweet and answered all our questions! A definite must-see!!

Came here with my wife for the first time. There's a small parking area where you can just walk in. We were greeted by friendly staff who needed our zip code and we were able to walk in for free. There's a small gift shop and public restrooms. There's a small path that leads you to the huge statue of Sam Houston. Definitely something to checkout at least once. There's really nothing else to do.

It is a very big, Godzilla-sized statue. I got off I-45 and visited here. I found Sam Houston's big head. The statue was enourmous. I saw a cute car at the visitor center. She was well-behaved. I loved her. I got a complimentary coffee at the visitor center! If you are tired of driving, please visit here!

My little grandson Aiden loves the duck pond on the old Sam Houston estate in Huntsville TX so I took him to see Sam. The path leading to the statue is windy and then all of sudden you arrive at the massive statue of Sam Houston. Aiden was in awe!!! The staff was very cordial when we went in the gift shop to buy some postcards for Aiden to put on his bedroom wall at home.

Here comes another review from me. Sam old Sam old. Hous everything with you? Are you Ton with your reviews? This is a spectacular and grandiose shining bleach white statue on the side of I-45 North between Houston and Dallas, and is one of the highlights of the trip. It means you are finally clear of the Houston area and that there is nothing but countryside and rest stops and fast food outlets between you and the expanses of Metropolitan Dallas Fort Worth.

Sam Houston's statue in the middle of the highway, well not really middle of the highway but you can see it from the highway (I-45). We were traveling from Houston to Dallas and this is a great detour to stop and see this statue. I'm not sure if I would make a trip out of it if I wasn't in the area. Why should you check out the statue?! The Sam Houston statue is one of the biggest free standing statues I have ever seen. If you like politics or history you would be impressed by how much Texas history and politics have Sam Houston a part of it. The city of Houston is named after this guy. If you have no interest well at least a selfie that will entice you into stopping for 30 minutes or so. I was impressed by the sheer size, don't mess with Texas :)

I took four different high school classes last week starting Tuesday through Friday! I teach Hospitality and Tourism and brought them to the visitor center as a field trip for the experience! Kim gave us a spectacular speech all 4 days! She is extremely knowledgeable and was extremely helpful in teaching my students the history of the statue as well as Hospitality and Tourism in general! She has been in this profession most of her career. The video over the construction of Sam Houston was very informative and kept my kids interested! They learned so much and were able to answer questions afterward! I also learned a lot from Kim and her presentation! Very impressed! The kids loved viewing the statue itself! Many had driven by it, but never visited! They didn't realize how tall the statue really is! He is 67 feet and standing on a 10 foot base! Overall wonderful experience!!! Thank you to Mrs. Kim for being so wonderful!

I'm used to this huge ass 3 story???? statue, but I guess for other people passing by, it's a new experience. General Sam Houston with a cane overlooking the town like he's watching his slav-... ...I mean, "the Help." Kind of nice to have a statue of Houston's namesake.

For me, this is a nice milestone every time I've driven to Dallas or am coming back to let me know how far I am. Leaving from Houston, it's the first major indicator that I am out of the Houston Metro area, and am committed to the drive. If it's daytime, it's also a nice spot to stop and use the bathroom and I suppose if you have kids (or whatever), to let them stretch their legs and be amazed by old Sam's giant size. I had to rewrite the last sentence a few times and it still sounds kind of creepy. Also in the daytime, there is actually a visitor center where you can sign in the guestbook. I only wish there was an easier way to get to the visitor center that did't waste so much time. Instead of just having an entry right off the freeway (which has "No Parking" signs everywhere), you have to go around and back. Overall the whole thing is fun.

Every time that I leave the Dallas area for Houston via I-45, I've always wanted to see what the Sam Houston Statue (aka Big Sam) and museum is all about. In traveling back to Dallas, I decided to check it out just for the heck of it. To start with, you drive through the forest for at least a half of a mile (maybe longer) to where you'll park adjacent to the museum. The museum itself was quaint, and run by volunteers. After which, you'll enter an area with picnic tables and such, followed by a large sculpture of Sam Houston's face. You can't see this face from the road, so for good pictures, you can climb the small ladder from behind the face and appear as if you are exiting the top of his head. And of course, there is the statue itself. Big Sam is a big boy! Probably 4-5 stories high, you can't miss Big Sam from I-45. And at night? Probably the best time to observe the statue. Certainly one of the more unique landmarks in all of Texas that is worth a stop, either to take pictures or stretch the legs out.

Owen Temple - "Old Sam" https://youtu.be/6Zyu-72Gm9w Timber Ridge, Virginia is a mighty fine place From that soil sprung a leader of the human race He had eyes full of thunderstorms and hair like gold He was seven foot tall when he was six years old Old Sam, Big Sam Down in Alabama in 1812 He and Andy Jackson raised all kind of hell Got shot by an arrow but he had no fear Hero was the job that he chose for his career Old Sam, Big Sam Sam got tired of being the governor of Tennessee So the Raven flew south to be a drunk Cherokee He slapped a nasty Congressman right in the face He said y'all go to hell, I'm gonna find a better place for Old Sam, Big Sam He rambled on down to western Arkansas Kicked around Oklahoma where he took up with a squaw In those days Texas was damn near Mexico Old Sam decided next that was where he's gonna go Old Sam, Big Sam That devil Santa Anna was a molester and a thief Getting him throwed out a Texas was a mighty big relief After swatting Santa Anna like you would a pesky fly He drank a river full of whiskey and ate a piece of pie Old Sam, Big Sam Sam told folks not to start a Civil War But they told Sam just to go and find the door He sired eight more kids on the Gulf Coast plain They don't bear the scars but they all bear the name of Old Sam, Big Sam Sam Houston stood tall, he was true and tough That statue's pretty big, but it ain't big enough for Old Sam, for Big Sam Old Sam, Big Sam

Very Impressive Statue!! We went to the museum than hit this on the way back. It's Huge!

Total fun and interesting stop between Dallas and Houston on I-45. The people in the gift shop are real excited to share information about "Big Sam". We love to stop here on our travels. It isn't as easy to get to as it should be, but the signs map the way. This is a free exhibit worthy of a stop.

You've seen the statue many times from I-45. This visitors center allows you ro get up close and personal with the mammoth. It was cold on the day we visited so we didn't stay long. The staff was friendly and helpful.

Standing at 77 feet tall, former president Sam Houston is indeed a landmark to see when passing by Huntsville. For those unaware of who the statue is, kind workers have engraved the words Sam Houston in front of Sam Houston for clarity. A stray statuehead can even be found for the most observant. The park itself is a clean environment where tourists can witness a small part of Texas's rich history. While the park itself is a sight to see, the restrooms tell another story. I gathered data from restroom users in the area and got ratings ranging from -5 to 5 out of 10. After neglecting the negative ratings, the average rating of the restrooms stand at around 3 out of 10, or 30% satisfaction. For those who plan on taking a piss before venturing back on the road, general consensus advices otherwise. The conditions of the restrooms should not be blamed on the park. I get it, funding is hard to come by these days. Overall, this small visitor center is a great place to visit minus the restrooms. For those whose bladders are empty, feel free to visit. For those whose bladders are more filled, you have been dutifully warned.

I agree with everyone here, DON'T take picture while driving, just stop and turn back, come in to the visitor to take pictures. It takes extra 10 mins. If you are in Houston on the way to Dallas or vice versa, or if you are in Houston and wants to see the GRAND Sam Houston, stop for few mins and take some pics, you will be impressed.

I've driven past this statue on the way to Dallas many times and always wanted to visit. I was visiting a friend in the Woodlands and decided it was time to pay Sam Houston a visit. It's a 40 minute drive up from The woodlands. Follow the signs. It's a short drive off the freeway to the visitor center. You'll then be walking up to the statue from the backside. The visitor center is tiny and there's not much information on the history of Sam Houston. We found a timeline of Sam Houston's life on a tackboard outside the visitor center, and that was about it for information I learned about Sam Houston on our trip. There were also some brochures inside the visitor center. Brush up on 7th grade Texas History class before coming. It is completely free. We spent a few minutes here taking pics. The statue is just as giant as it seems. There is also a random Sam Houston statue head you can climb into for more fun pictures. Then, we spent a couple of hours in Hunstville and the TX prison museum.

Amazing showcase of American Art by Houston's David Addickes. This huge piece can be easily seen from the street, but is worth pulling over to see as well. Hoping for good restoration.

I'm surprised that nobody's reviewed this local tourist venue yet. From Dallas to Houston on I-45 it's inevitable to pass this landmark. It's huge, and this 67 foot high statue of Sam Houston is the largest statue of an American Hero. If you have about 20-30 minutes to spare then it's worth taking the exit to visit the statue and visitor center. If not, you could always just drive slowly by it on the freeway and take quick photos. I do like this statue/visitor center though, and any time I have people in my car I always suggest stopping and taking silly memorable photos :)

Govern wisely, and as little as possible I was astounded. You know a review is good when it starts out with those three words. First, Ashley(?), I think that was her name, was the young woman that greeted us. She was friendly and helpful. The grounds were clean and well groomed. It was way taller than I thought. I would like to add that it is sad that we don't have enough money in our state budget to either stop or clean up regularly the vandalizing of a statue depicting the father of The State ofTtexas. It is also sad that anyone living in this state would vandalize this. We have whole cities awaiting your graffiti. Use them.

Nice place to stop and stretch your legs and check out a gigantic well done statue of Sam Houston. The small information center and gift shop are flanked by very pretty porches and a great picnic area, as well as beautiful pine trees. They have decent park-like restrooms also. I was really glad we took a little time to check it out. The lady working was so friendly that I almost felt guilty telling her that we're not staying in Huntsville for a little while...hehe

HOLY SAM HOUSTON, BATMAN!!! From the I-45 Freeway, you can see the statue. I never heard about the Statue and I was curious by it. I'd like to call this our Statue of Liberty. It was one minute to closing but the employees were really nice when I mention I just wanted to take a photo of the statue which you can do after hours. Heck they even convince me to sign the guest book. When I come back around, I'll make it a point to come visit the visitor's center. And yes there's no need to take a photo of the statue while driving. Safety first! Just pull over and take a photo or just come to the visitor center and take a photo of it.

If you're from Texas, especially Houston, you gotta make a stop at this famous landmark of your namesake and a big piece of Texas History. On the drive from Houston to Dallas or vi-versa you will see this gigantic statue of the man. It only takes a minute to pull over and see this thing for all it's beauty!

Great place to stop, stretch, and learn a few things. Large games like checkers, chess, and Connect 4 to play with the fam. Small gift shop and photo opportunities. Worth a stop at least once!

Giant statue of Sam Houston. You can see him coming for miles going north, but he's kinda hiding in some trees and sneaks up on you when you're going south. Oh, and there is a gift shop if you stop by. But, good luck making this your pit-stop instead of Buccee's if you have kids in the car.

We didn't stop, we just drove past due to the rain!!! But we always love seeing this statue, especially lit up at night!

I don't really have anything to add that other reviewers haven't already stated. I've been here a couple a couple of times and I did notice that the the merchandise in the gift shop seemed to be a little sparce. Other than that, the people in the info center were real friendly. It's one of those "side of the road" stops on a road trip.

The statue of Sam Houston is definitely impressive and tall. But if I could have met Sam Houston in person I would have learned that he is impressive and tall. Especially it's 6 foot 7. Amazing now I have to say I don't know a lot about Sam Houston, but after visiting the statue and reading his bio. I found a most impressive. To give you a few high points the man what's the senator in two states Tennessee and Texas. He was also the first president of the Republic of Texas. He live with Cherokee Indians in his younger years and learned a lot about them and that they were really his friends. He ran for governor he's done all kind of things and it is just too impressive in 1859 he was the governor of Texas and he died just before the Civil War. Rather than give you a review that is 3 pages long I'm going to say this man fought in the battle of 1812 and was wounded he became the Cherokee Ambassador in 1830 he was sent back to Texas to help and became the Texas commander and chief of the army. He was not at the Alamo or we would have lost out on this man in 1836 but what a history. Drop in and say hello to Sam and Texas and maybe just maybe you too will be impressed

It's a giant statue of Sam Houston. Most people see it as they drive between Houston and Dallas, but you can't really appreciate it's size unless you stop and check it out. It's worth a 15-20 minute detour as its right off the highway and free!

Very awesome, impressive!! Yup, everything in Texas is big. Everything said about this state icon is accurate & spot on. If you're on your way to Dallas, Houston or anyplace between... Give yourself extra time on your excursion (especially with kids) to pay homage to this Sam Houston statue! Please don't take pic's when you are driving!

Always stop by when we pass through. They are expanding which is a great thing. Great part of history! Statute is amazing.

Gift shop was closed so I can't speak for that (I like to collect patches). There's nothing to see but the statue but that's why you stop right? you get to see it up close and admission is free. I imagine it is pretty in the fall and would like to stop by with a lunch to eat at one of the picnic tables later this year. Bathrooms are a little gross.

Easy stop to view the statue up close. We were pleasantly surprised by the great gift shop for Texas themed items!

So, yes it's super big..but is it a big deal? Eh. On our drive to Houston, my daughter really wanted to stop and check it out, I told her we can on the way back, as it was on the other side of the freeway. On our way back, she reminded me to stop as soon as we set foot into the car. Lol. Exhausted, I really just wanted to get back to Dallas..but a quick stop was not going to be a problem. If you're thinking it's just a quick rest stop type area..where you pull off the freeway, grab some pictures and go, you are incorrect. You have to drive about 5 minutes through some mini-forest, park, walk through the visitors center and some trees in order to reach Mr. Sam Houston's mega statue. We found it cool for about 30 seconds, and were ready to get back on the freeway. Turns out, it's not a quick freeway entrance either.... another mini-forest and about 6-7 minutes later, you're back on track. But at least we can say we went. We came, we saw, and we left.

Great place to stop if you need a break, or just want a little Texas history. Lovely grounds. Good place to get info about the hidden gems in Huntsville, and find some great places to eat! Construction on the freeway is tough right now, but I think it is good. It has stopped those rude/dangerous people who where parking on the freeway to go take a picture. Exit Park Road 40 during this construction. Much safer. Staff are always friendly! Don't forget a visit to the gift shop for Texas themed items.

In my dreams, giant Sam Houston comes to life to drink massive amounts of whiskey, secure the Texas border, and play running back for the Houston Texans. He's the marker on every road trip to Houston that the traffic is about to take a turn for the worse. If you like Texas History, make it a pit stop.

The statue is very large. What Sam Houston stood for is commendable and I understand why he is a celebrated American. There are plaques and bricks around the monument, an amphitheater and a little picnic area. The visitors center is quaint and the staff are helpful if you need a restaurant recommendation. We ended up at The Farmhouse for some lunch after our hike and visit to the monument. Lots of antique shops nearby. Fun day!

We drove the length of I-45 for work. "Big Sam" is far-and-away the highlight of the drive.