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Life is simple in Seguin. The streets are perpendicular. The people are friendly. A blackboard outside a restaurant reads simply, "Special: Fish." Where else would one expect to find the largest monument to such an unassuming food as the pecan? Well, in Missouri, actually, where a nut more than twice as large as Seguin's reigns as truly the world's largest. But, Seguin's pecan held the title for twenty years. Can't knock that.
The Seguin pecan measures approximately 5 feet, 2 inches long by 2 feet, 2 inches wide. It's dedicated to Cabeza de Vaca, the Spanish explorer who was held prisoner on the nearby Guadalupe River in the early 1500s and, incidentally, whose name means "cow's head." A plaque below the pecan, erected in commemoration to "the first recorded contribution to the pecan literature," reads:
Cabeza de Vaca...was the first European to record the existence of pecans. He was held captive for nine years on the River of Nuts where he had ample opportunity to observe the growth and fruiting habits of pecans.
Well, at least he had something to do.
And perhaps one day the people of Seguin will admit their defeat and relinquish the title to the true king of the pecan. But, at least they could redeem their pride with a little white paint and a new sign reading "Home of the World's Largest Football."
Update: The pictures above were taken on July 17, 2001, when the Seguin pecan narrowly escaped destruction by fire. Find out more.
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