Paris, Texas, Is Way More Than an Eiffel Tower Wearing a Cowboy Hat

When you think of Paris, Texas, you might picture its famous miniature Eiffel Tower bedecked with a jaunty red cowboy hat (“miniature,” that is, in relation to the 1,083-foot original). The 65-foot-tall steel structure was built in 1993 and acquired the shiny chapeau six years later to distinguish it from other replicas around the country. It’s the kind of wayside kitsch that draws road trippers, content creators, and, during my visit, a couple of RVers valiantly trying to get their cocker spaniel to stayyy . . . stayyyy at the tower’s feet for a picture. (They got the shot.)Or perhaps right now there’s a mournful, dusty-sounding slide guitar melody floating up from the recesses of your mind, conjuring the 1984 film that had nothing in common with the…

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