Sunday, March 21, 2021
Post, Texas to Texarkana, Arkansas
Highlights: World's Largest Bowie Knife, Glenn Goode's Big People, and the Eiffel Tower
Post City, Texas, was founded by C.W. Post (the breakfast cereal guy) as a utopian model town in 1907. Today his statue sits proudly in front of the Garza County Courthouse. Sadly, the high school mascot is not the Post Toasties – opportunity missed!
Model utopia
Cereal magnate and town founder C.W. Post
We got back on US 380 this morning, driving east through through more small-town Texas. Our off-interstate routes are often rewarding.
Old Kent County Jail
22-foot-tall "Bridle Bit Bull"
To avoid Dallas/Fort Worth, we veered northeast to Bowie, home of the World's Largest Bowie Knife, 20 feet long and weighing 3,000 pounds, with a 14-foot, 5-inch steel blade. Don't worry - It's not sharpened.
World's Largest Bowie Knife
On we went, and the roadside treats continued as we passed by an unexpected cluster of windmills in Montague and the quiet town square of Saint Jo.
17 random windmills
Saint Jo, Texas
In Gainesville we made a special stop to see Glenn Goode's Big People. Everything's bigger in Texas! The giants were collected by the late artist and entrepreneur Glenn Goode because, well, why not? The fiberglass figures include two Muffler Men, a Uniroyal Gal, two Big Johns, and a comparatively diminutive cow.
Tiny Tom with Glenn Goode's Big People
A short detour in Paris brought us to the world-famous Eiffel Tower, this one topped by a bright red cowboy hat. Originally built hatless, the headgear was added to rectify the fact that the Eiffel Tower in Tennessee was a tiny bit taller. With the hat, the Texas replica now reaches 65 feet into the sky.
Eiffel Tower, Paris, Texas
Next to the Eiffel Tower is the Red River Valley Veterans Memorial, honoring veterans past, present, and future. All the branches of service are represented, in addition to recognition of the Merchant Marines, Gold Star families, and even a statue honoring war dogs.
Touching tribute
Never forget
Quiet, peaceful, and beautifully maintained
Lodging: Executive Inn, Texarkana, Arkansas, cheap and comfortable.
Driving distance: 493 miles. Texas is a big state, but we made it through!
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