A search of the official Guinness World Records website says there are 768 results for Texas, and it’s growing. The real number is somewhere south of there considering duplicates and out-of-date entries, but here are four in Texas you can visit.
The Guinness Book of World Records was founded in 1954 by employees of the Guinness Brewery as a reference book to settle barroom arguments. The name was shortened in 1999. The publisher maintains more than 62,000 records of the first, largest, longest, fastest, and so on.
The Guinness World Records Museum in San Antonio has closed, but the city is listed as the home of many of the records. The most accessible record holder since 1980 is the “world’s largest cowboy boot sculpture.” At 35 feet tall, Bob “Daddy-O” Wade‘s pair of faux ostrich-and-calf-skin boots outside of North Star Mall is a must-see. The parking lots around the exit to Loop 410 offer easy access to the supersized shoes.
The San Jacinto Monument in La Porte honoring the battle in 1836 holds the title of the “world’s tallest monumental column.” At 567.31 feet, it is 12 feet taller than the Washington Monument. The 220-ton, 34-foot star was placed at the top in 1939.
Up the road in Beaumont is the “world’s largest working fire hydrant” in front of the Fire Museum of Texas. Donated to the city by the Walt Disney Co. in 1999, the 24-foot Dalmatian-spotted hydrant has been dwarfed by larger hydrants, but this is the biggest one that works. It is able to blast 1,500 gallons of water a minute, according to the museum.
And finally, in a park south of downtown Bowie in North Texas is the “world’s largest bowie knife.” The 20-foot knife has a 14-foot steel blade.
1,672nd in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
This article appears in October 6 • 2023.
