On October 19, 2012, the last weekend of the 2012 State Fair of Texas, Big Tex was destroyed by an electrical fire that started in the right boot and worked its way up the structure, first becoming visible from the neck area.

Kerens, Texas is known as the "Birthplace of Big Tex,” although his original incarnation was as a 49-foot (15 m) tall Santa Claus constructed from iron drill casing, papier mache, and unraveled rope in 1949.

[3] The statue was an idea of Howell Brister, manager of the Chamber of Commerce, to encourage holiday sales in the town, and the "World's Largest Santa Claus" (a claim later disputed) stood over Colket Avenue for two holiday seasons — drawing press attention from as far away as Iran and Australia.

[4][5][6] Modeled after Kerens residents Ottis Franklin Spurlock and Hardy Mayo, the figure was built by members of the community who welded the frame, fabricated the body and sewed the clothing.

In 1951, State Fair president R. L. Thornton purchased Santa's components for $750 and had artist Jack Bridges transform them into a cowboy, giving birth to "Big Tex.” Big Tex made his debut at the 1952 fair, a 52-foot cowboy dressed in denim jeans and a plaid shirt donated by the H. D. Lee Company, then based in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

Using a custom-built recipromotor and a 75-watt speaker system housed in the figure's head, Jack Bridges devised a way to create the illusion of natural speech with a swinging jaw.

[11] After that year's fair, he traveled to West Texas to participate in Abilene Christian College's 50th annual homecoming celebration.

In 1997, Big Tex was given a skeletal makeover consisting of 4,200 feet of steel rods weighing 6,000 pounds.

Working under secrecy, a new Big Tex was created during 2013 by SRO Associates and Texas Scenic Co. at a cost of $500,000.

This allows Big Tex to withstand 100 miles per hour (160.9 km/h) winds without needing support wires as in previous versions.

[21] Big Tex Circle, the location during the State Fair of Texas, was also enlarged and reinforced for the larger statue.

[22] Big Tex generally receives a new shirt and jeans triennially, currently designed and fabricated by the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company.

[31][32] In 2001 a statewide competition and contest, held live at the Cotton Bowl, announced Sonny Ray Stolz as the next voice of Big Tex.