(HOUSTON) — Hidden Houston is NEWS 92 FM’s unofficial guide to the Bayou City. It’s a listing of different things you love to do in and around Houston, many of which don’t appear in the tourism brochures.
Today’s feature is actually scattered all over the city. From as far north as Huntsville and as far South as Angleton. It’s the art of David Adickes.
Not long ago, Adickes took all his toys and moved home to Huntsville where he grew up. He is now using the ground floor of his old school building as a museum and studio for his paintings.
But Adickes has certainly left his mark on Houston through his sculptures. Anyone who’s driven into downtown along the I-10 and I-45 interchange has no doubt noticed the four presidential busts, commonly referred to as Mount Rush Hour. Adickes is well known for his presidents. In fact, he says he has completed four sets of the nations leaders.
In addition, Adickes is quite proud of his Beatles statues. John, Paul, George and Ringo once greeted commuters, standing 36 feet tall right along the Katy Freeway just before downtown. Now they are in a lot just a few blocks away on Summer street in a rather industrial part of town, where Adickes once operated his studio.
Drive up to the lot now and there they stand, looking a bit battered by the weather and from having been moved around from one location to another, but they remain quite impressive.
When I stopped by last week, the Beatles were surrounded by an almost complete set of presidents, waiting to be relocated to their new home, which Adickes hopes will be a park in Huntsville near his old school.
Just a short distance away, where the Beatles once stood just west of downtown, is a colorful sign that reads We Heart Houston. That, too, is the handiwork of David Adickes. It’s like a miniature version of the Hollywood sign for Houston.
In downtown’s Theater District, at the corner of Smith and Prairie, stands a sculpture known as Virtuoso, and of course he is probably best known for the giant 76 foot tall statue of Sam Houston emerging from the forest along I-45 just south of Huntsville and another Texas favorite, Stephen F. Austin can be found standing right on the edge of Highway 288 near Angleton.
Even now, in his late 80s, Adickes is completing work on a 36 foot tall likeness of silent film star Charlie Chaplin which we hear will be popping up soon near the interchange of I-10 and U.S. 59 on the northeast side of downtown. He was also recently commissioned to create another work of art along I-45 south near Nasa Parkway. Adickes tells us it will be an 80 foot tall Apollo Astronaut dressed in a full space suit and helmet.
Here are some of the works we have mentioned. The locations have been included just in case you would like to take the time to go exploring and see them in person.
- Sam Houston Statue: Can easily be seen from I-45 south of Huntsville, but the actual address is 7600 Hwy. 75 South, Huntsville, TX.
- Stephen F. Austin Statue: Hwy 288 exit at Hwy 35
- Virtuoso: Downtown Houston at the intersection of Smith and Prairie streets.
- Mount Rush Hour: Giant busts of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Sam Houston, and Stephen Austin sit a stones throw off the freeway at 1400 Elder St, Houston, TX 77007. Across the bases it is labeled: “A Tribute to American Statesmanship.”
- We Heart Houston: This 28-foot sign is located at 1816 Thompson Street, Houston, TX 77007.
- Beatles and Presidential Busts: 2500 Summer St. Houston, TX 77246
Listen to our interview here:
[audio https://ronenews92fm.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/hiddenhouston-adickes-long-vw-kcharles.mp3]The complete “Hidden Houston” list as it stands right now.
You can add to the list by calling our News 92 FM talkback line at 832-848-0092.
(Thanks to dozens of Facebook followers who let us know their favorite spots!)
- Last Concert Café
- Houston Area Live Steamers in Hockley
- James Turrell’s Twilight Epiphany Skyspace at Rice University
- The Theater District
- Historic Celestial Suites at the Crowne Plaza Hotel across from NRG Park. (Formerly the Astroworld Hotel.)
- Sculptures by Artist David Adickes
- Space Center Houston
- The Orange Show
- The Beer Can House
- Mt. Rush Hour, The Beatles Statues – Artwork by David Addickes
- Lakewood Church, the largest church in America;
- The Printing Museum
- Alley Theatre
- La Carafe, the oldest bar in Houston.
- Warren’s on Market Square, the place to go for a real martini.
- Ghost tours downtown & the Heights
- Gerald D. Hines Water Wall Park
- Japanese Gardens of Hermann Park (you’ll swear your’e in Japan)
- San Jacinto Monument
- Battleship Texas
- Sea wolf Park
- Museum of Fine Arts
- The Original Greek Fest in Montrose. OPA!
- Minute Maid Park – Astros game.
- Pappa’s restaurants
- Goode Co. Seafood or BBQ
- The Rodeo
- Dinner at the Original Ninfa’s
- Kemah Boardwalk
- St. Arnold Brewing
- Tour the Hogg family’s house
- The Houston Zoo
- Texas prison museum and old sparky in Huntsville
- Cemetery tours Glenwood Cemetery where Howard Hughes is buried.
- The Galleria
- Tour Rice’s campus
- The Houston Ballet
- Shipley Donuts north Main @ 45 about 4am .. regular glazed fresh from the fryer
- The Wortham theater, HGO-Houston Grand Opera performance,
- Lancaster Hotel at Christmas time
- Buffalo Soldier Museum
- Herman Park Golf course
- Mexican food at the Don-key (be sure to order the “QUESO A LA PARILLA”, I think they still make it at the table?),
- Vietnamese food at Kim-Son,
- Stomping Divots at the Houston Polo Club!
- Catch a show at the Mucky Duck
- Go to Club Numbers
- Traders Village
- The Tunnels in downtown
- The Undertaker Challenge at the CajunStop
- Gardens of Bayou Bend
- Strand in Galveston
- The Astrodome
- Buffalo Bayou by boat, bike or kayak
- Art Car parade
- Boat Tour of the ship channel
- Tour University of Houston and the new U of H stadium
- Chinatown
- Discovery Green
- Sacred Heart Cathedral
- River Oaks
- Rainbow Lodge
- Morton’s
- Tony’s
- Hong Kong Market
- Museum of Natural Science
- George Ranch Historical Park
- Ruggles Green
- the Police Memorial
- Goode Co. Taquaria. Beef fajitas!
- a metro rail ride from the Belfort stop… downtown and back
- Comicpalooza!
- Skate around downtown with the Urban Animals.
- Ice Skating in Discovery Green during the holidays.
- Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day at Griff’s or The Mucky Duck.
- Watch The Battle of the Bands during halftime of a TSU v PVAMU football game.
- Watch a performance of The MOB during halftime of a Rice football game, especially if the opponent is either Texas or a&m.
- The Funeral museum
- Spindletop (rotating restaurant in Hyatt Downtown)
- Holocaust Museum
- Bike through town with Critical Mass
- Do the Rice U Undies Run (AKA Hot Undies Run)
- White Linen Night in the Heights
- Rocket Park – NASA
- Texans Training Camp
- Hermann Park train
- Market Square Park
- Julia Ideson Library
Hidden Houston: The Art of David Adickes was originally published on news92fm.com