Deborah Hall
In 1936, a nine-foot-tall combination of the main animals of Texas livestock was sculpted into a mythical chimera named The Woofus for the Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas. The sculpture consists of a pig body, the neck and mane of a horse, a duck’s wings, a turkey tail, a sheep’s head, a blanket over its back, and crowned with Texas longhorns. Today the re-creation of the sculpture spurts water from its nozzle over the Swine Building in Fair Park in Dallas.
The sculptor of the original Woofus was Lawrence Tenney Stevens. It was damaged, however, in 1941 and the remains strangely disappeared. It’s believed that Texas Christians destroyed the original Woofus. The mythical backstory of the creature is presumed to have Pagan history and is seen as an idol of worship. Stevens claimed the Woofus sculpture portrayed the offspring of an Australian sheep that took a trip to Texas and had friendly relations with the main livestock. No one knows why the original was destroyed, but many Texas still have their suspicions.
Photo: @SDale via Twenty20
In 1998, David Newton made a replica the famous sculpture. Although the original has never been found, the Woofus is still widely admired at Fair Park. The Executive Director of Friends of Fair Park, Craig Holcomb, put on an event to raise money for the replica. It was called “The Woofus Dinner,” and it was attended by Dallas high society. They sang the “The Woofus song” and the dinner was a success. They raised $50,000, which was enough to make the replica and install in the Woofus in Fair Park. In 2002, the mythical sculpture also made a returning debut at the State Fair.
Today visitors can take home a miniature Woofus of their own at Fair Park. These 10″ uniquely molded replicas are great gifts for historians or any admirers of the mythical creature. They are numbered and come with a letter of certification. Call (210) 426-3400 to order one today.
