by Chrissy Biello
Thirty years ago, David Adickes unveiled “A Tribute to Courage” – an iconic 67-foot statue of Sam Houston that has become a landmark in Huntsville. As a pivotal historical figure, Sam Houston left a legacy of resilience and integrity that has left a great impact on Huntsville. The installation of this statue has significantly boosted Huntsville’s tourism, contributing $8.5 million in local and state revenue this year alone.
Following our recent attendance at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum celebration, the LEAP students were honored to support another special Huntsville event: the 30th anniversary of Adickes’ towering Sam Houston statue, hosted by the Sam Houston Statue and Visitors Center.
Upon arrival, I immediately noticed the beautiful fairy lights that lined the path to the statue. While exploring the illuminated trail would come later, we first needed to attend to our duties. We had the privilege of welcoming many distinguished guests, including Mary Laura Gibbs, Mayor Russell and Tish Humphrey, and the celebrated artist himself, David Adickes, alongside his guest Linda.
Also, it was particularly special to see the two descendants of Sam Houston again, Lindsey Hughes and her mother, Penny.
The reception room, beautifully transformed by Tracy Chappell and her visitor center staff, provided an elegant backdrop for the evening.
They created a perfect atmosphere with carefully curated historical artifacts, mementos, and photographs from the statue’s inception, and an impressive charcuterie spread. A personal favorite of our group had to be the “Big Sam” cookies– they were almost too beautiful to eat!
Just as we had done the previous evening, we seized the opportunity to capture a photo with Mr. Adickes. He warmly agreed to join us in front of the designated “selfie area.”
To our great surprise, Mr. Adickes graciously signed miniature Sam Houston statues for each of us. We were absolutely thrilled by this personal touch, and it truly made the evening even more special.
The evening became even more memorable when Cinthia, Olivia, and I had the chance to take a photo with Miranda Estrada, the Economic Development Specialist for the City of Huntsville. As a former LEAP Ambassador herself and a former intern in the Economic Development Department while at SHSU, Miranda went on to become our supervisor during our own internships in that department. Having all of us together made for a heartwarming reunion and a reminder of how impactful the LEAP experience is.
As the celebration wound down, we finally ventured down the beautifully lit path to view the statue. We stopped for photos at the giant Sam Houston head statue along the way before reaching the main monument. This was only my second time seeing it up close – the first being when I was around one year old, a moment I recently discovered in my older sister’s scrapbook!
The girls could not resist photographing their newly signed miniature statues in front of the large statue (Olivia was especially eager to take photos of them taking photos!).
The night ended with us taking a group selfie with the impressive statue. Overall, the opportunity to meet Sam Houston’s descendants and to speak to David Adickes twice in one week made for two perfect nights in Huntsville!
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 