"We hear you loud and clear," said City Manager Aron Kulhavy. "Across the board, concerned citizens have reached out to staff about possible protests and threats to tear down the Statue. We are fully aware of the situation and are prepared to take all appropriate steps if necessary."

Kulhavy added there have also been many citizens calling to inquire about how to protect Sam as a citizen. 

#HomeSweetHuntsville, Big Sam is important to us too. The colossal statue is named "A Tribute to Courage" by David Adickes, but is often dubbed "Big Sam". To create Big Sam, Adickes needed to transform 30 tons of concrete and steel into the monument you see today. A life-size plaster version was fashioned during the fall of 1991. He started the project in early 1992, not exactly certain how he would accomplish the task. He admitted that It was really a work of engineering without any blueprint.

The W.S. Gibbs Farm on 75 North in Huntsville was used as a construction site and offered in-kind by Sam Houston State University. Big Sam consists of five layers of concrete laid over steel mesh attached to a welded steel framework. Standing proudly on a 10-foot Texas sunset granite base, the colossal statue of Sam Houston is visible from the south for 6.5 miles.

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