Denison approves girl-and-dog sculpture for Main Street

Denison's Historic Preservation Board has approved a limestone sculpture of a girl and her dog for downtown Main Street, according to city records. The board approved the piece, titled "Friends," on April 21. City staff described the sculpture as privately owned and financed, with placement approved on private property.

The city records reviewed by GvilleTX do not establish that the sculpture has been unveiled. They also do not tie the work to the 2025 Kerrville floods.

The approved site is outside 317 W. Main St. City staff identified it as the building that houses RB West and a Jimmy John's. Because the work is private and sits on private land, staff said, the city did not solicit proposals from artists. The approval authorizes the placement. The record does not show that the sculpture is in place.

A March 20 application from Don Day names Jake Dobscha as the sculptor. City staff noted that Dobscha also made Denison's "Selfie Girl," which stands outside 226 W. Main St. The application calls for two Indiana limestone figures, each about 30 inches tall, set on a pair of concrete pedestals.

The city's Design Committee reviewed the plan April 2. The board then granted a Certificate of Appropriateness. According to city records, applicant Rhonda Borgne asked that the title "Friends" replace "Girl with Dog" in the record.

McKinney offers a public example of what such a piece can cost. According to that city's records, McKinney approved a sculpture of the dog Benji in 2022 with an estimated budget of about $20,000, and a resident pledged half of it.

Art has figured in downtown Denison's plans for decades. The Denison Arts Council says it was incorporated in 1980 and that the state recognized 30 downtown blocks as a cultural district in 2009. The Texas Commission on the Arts says such districts exist to draw tourists and new businesses and to strengthen a town's identity. In April 2025, the Texas Historical Commission reported that downtown property values had roughly tripled over 15 years. The commission also reported that the district contained more than 200 independently owned businesses. The city says crews finished rebuilding the 300 block of Main Street in August 2025, about seven months after construction began.

In Kerr County, flood memorials have been announced separately. The National Weather Service recorded a major flood crest on the Guadalupe River at Kerrville on the morning of July 4, 2025. Kerr County announced a November 2025 dedication of a donated red oak and a granite marker at Flatrock Park. In May, the group Foundation Unites announced plans for a 36-foot River of Angels Monument near the Francisco Lemos bridge. The group said the proposed design includes tributes to rescue workers and rescue dogs.

Denison's public-art guidelines require a review before the city moves or removes a sculpture. Under the guidelines, the city ordinarily does not consider removing a permanent work until five years after installation, with some exceptions.