TYLER, Texas — A downtown Tyler icon will soon be honored with a statue as the area will be renovated in the near future.
Shorty the Squirrel was a well-known friend to many on the downtown square within his 15 years of life from 1948 to 1963. For several years, he has been honored with a grave marker.
On Monday, Tyler Mayor Don Warren and Smith County Judge Neal Franklin conducted an exhumation of sorts to find Shorty. The two officials spent about 30 minutes digging before realizing that Shorty must not be there anymore or was never placed there in the beginning.
Even though Shorty was never found, city and county officials do have plans for remembering Shorty the Squirrel in the form of a statue to be stationed in the soon-to-be built downtown plaza.
"What we'll do is we'll take, if there are remains of Shorty, and even if there's not, we'll take some dirt that will signify where Shorty was buried, and we'll put it over there, where the statue is going to be erected," Warren said.
Despite having a new plaza, Shorty will still be remembered for years to come.