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Shorty's grave.

Grave of Shorty the Squirrel

Field review by the editors.

Tyler, Texas

Died 1963

Pet Cemetery.

Shorty lived outside the Smith County courthouse for 15 years. He was a panhandler and a beggar, but beloved by the town -- and particularly by Miss Geneva Pillow, who fed him daily.

The citizens of Tyler honored Shorty with free medical care, a special pedestrian crossing, and a lower speed limit on Broadway -- all with the goal of prolonging his life. But no squirrel lives forever (or even for very long) and Shorty died in 1963.

He was buried in a park across the street from the courthouse, his grave surrounded by a brick wall, marked by a Georgia granite headstone engraved with his likeness. A replacement squirrel was quickly run over by a car (another testament to Shorty's genius for survival). With no one to fill his snack-grubbing shoes, Shorty's legend grew. Paul Harvey told his story on the radio. He became even more famous in death than in life.

After a rough patch in the 1990s, when Shorty's tombstone was stolen twice and not recovered, a new marker was placed over his grave. We hope it's still there.

Also see: Mascots | Roadside Pet Cemetery

Grave of Shorty the Squirrel

Address:
N. Broadway Ave., Tyler, TX
Directions:
Shorty's headstone has moved around over the years, but it's never forgotten. At last report it was in the outside courtyard of courthouse, but may be in a raised planter at the southeast corner of Courthouse Square, NW corner of W. Erwin St. and N. Broadway Ave.
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Nearby Offbeat Places

Big Teddy Bear StatuesBig Teddy Bear Statues, Tyler, TX - < 1 mi.
Tyler Rose MuseumTyler Rose Museum, Tyler, TX - 1 mi.
American Freedom MuseumAmerican Freedom Museum, Bullard, TX - 14 mi.
In the region:
Motel Used By Elvis, Gladewater, TX - 24 mi.

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