In a lot north of downtown Houston, underneath freeway overpasses soaring above at least a hundred feet off the ground, is one of the greatest sights on Planet Earth for those of us who are American history nerds, especially American Presidential History nerds.
It is a lot filled with the giant heads of most (if not all) of our former presidents.
Apparently it is a working artist's shop. It's hit-or-miss when you get there as to whether the lot will be open, so you can wander around the heads inside the fence, or whether you will be stuck admiring the heads through the chain link fence. It's an awesome experience either way. But, of course, it is awesomer when you are inside.
I believe these are the heads of James A. Garfield (L) and Benjamin Harrison (R). It's a guess, but an educated guess. We had four presidents with full beards during the Golden Age of Presidential Facial Hair. The other two were U.S. Grant and Rutherford ("Rutherfraud") B. Hays. The heads are too thin for rounded visage of Ulysses Grant, but not thin enough for Rutherfraud. Benjamin Harrison was a nothing, which really is standard for legacy admissions. Garfield died very young due to medical incompetence. He may have been the most amazing and intelligent person ever to have served as U.S. president, including even Mr. Thomas Jefferson. Garfield was multi-lingual and ambidextrous. He could simultaneously translate what he heard into Greek and Latin, writing down the translation in one language with his right hand, and the other language with his left. Top that all you other presidential geniuses.
Visited December 2015.
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