The Stoneleigh Lions have stood at the front of the hotel for over 70 years, but that wasn’t always the case. In the early 1900’s, these beasts were sculpted by an Austrian sculptor named Oswald Lassiz. Originally, Lassiz was in Texas to work on statues for Rice University, which was opening in 1912.

Soon after, a railroad pioneer named R.C. Dugg was impressed by Lassiz’s handiwork and asked him to sculpt two large lions for the front of his new mansion. The Texas White Stone lions stood their posts at Dugg’s residence for over 15 years.

During a trip to Houston in the 30’s, the Stoneleigh’s owner at the time “Colonel” Henry Stewart heard these lions now stood guard to a vacant lot. After seeing the sculptures up close, Stewart decided that they would be a nice addition to his hotel, and he sent them on the first freight train up to Dallas. To this day, the lions remain a centerpiece of the Stoneleigh while it continues its complete refurbishment

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