Museum of Western Art acquires Ranger statues

On Thursday morning, three bronze statues from the former Texas Rangers Foundation in Fredericksburg made their way down Texas 16 on a flatbed truck to their new location at the Museum of Western Art at 1550 Bandera Highway in Kerrville.

The statues are on loan from the Former Texas Rangers Foundation.

The Former Texas Rangers Foundation has leased 12 acres of city-owned land off U.S. 290 for $1 a year since 2011. The completion date for the ambitious project was February 2025.

Last summer and fall, the museum’s future existence and current location came into question by Fredericksburg officials, who worried about the foundation’s lack of fundraising and fiscal accountability.

In September, the city sent the foundation’s board a notice of default, citing the organization’s failure to develop the property in a timely manner.

“For as long as Texas has existed, the Texas Rangers have rushed to the aid of Texans. When they asked for an assist, we were honored to come to their aid,” said Darrell Beauchamp, executive director of MOWA.

The relocated statues include “Texas Ranger Frontier Battalion,” by Richard O. Cook; “Captain Jack Hayes,” by Eric Christenson; and “The Legend, The Lore, The Law,” by Dustin Payne.

The three bronzes are currently on display around the flag pole adjacent to the entrance to the museum.

To learn more about the Museum of Western Art, call 830-896-2553 or visit www.museumofwesternart.com.

This article was originally published in the Feb. 15, 2025 edition of The Kerrville Daily Times.