<P> In recent years, the fair has emphasized its reputation as an event featuring unique, albeit high - fat foods . It has been known for years for Fletcher's brand corny dogs . Recent years have seen the introduction of new unusual deep - fried items, including deep - fried Oreos, deep - fried Twinkies, deep - fried s'mores, deep - fried pork ribs, fried cheesecake; deep - fried butter, deep - fried peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches, and most recently a batter - based fried Coke . New foods in 2008 included chicken fried bacon and fried banana splits . For the 2012 fair, the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas added the deep - fried Samoa cookie . </P> <P> The State Fair of Texas was originally charted as a private corporation by local businessmen . It was an immediate success and attracted thousands of people . However, in 1904 a series of events led to a financial crisis and not enough income was available to keep the fair running . Therefore, the businessmen sold it to the city of Dallas with the agreement that 24 days during the fall would be set aside annually for the fair and exhibition . </P> <P> Big Tex, a 55 - foot (17 m) tall cowboy statue, has been its symbol since his introduction in 1952 . In 1953, Big Tex's jaw was hinged, so that he appears to "speak" the announcements that promote fair events . After a fire on October 19, 2012 destroyed the original Big Tex, he was rebuilt and reintroduced for the 2013 fair . </P> <P> Its 212 - foot (65 m) Texas Star Ferris wheel was the largest in North America when it debuted in October 1985, just months before the Texas Sesquicentennial . It has since been dwarfed by Ferris wheels in Las Vegas and Orlando . </P>

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