Willie Lusk, 'Texas King of Cowboy Boots,' honored with East Lubbock historical marker

At 6 feet, 6 inches tall, Willie Lusk, Jr. was a big man.

"His boot prints were big, and he left them in many places," said Sandy Fortenberry, chair of the Lubbock County Historical Commission.

The commission and members of the Lubbock city and county governments gathered earlier this month to honor the late local bootmaker known as the "Texas King of Cowboy Boots" by unveiling a Texas historical marker in the East Lubbock park that bears his name.

"We stand here today on the shoulders of giants, and that's why we're here: to remember those who have gone before us who have set the path for us," County Judge Curtis Parrish said at the ceremony. "(Willie Lusk) made a difference, not just in this community, not just in the Chatman Hill community. He made a difference for all of us. that is worth honoring and that is worth celebrating."

Recently retired Lubbock City Councilwoman Shelia Patterson Harris remembers growing up just down the street from Lusk's home in East Lubbock's Chatman Hill neighborhood.

"Mr. Lusk was a tall man, and when I say tall, I mean tall. And he was good looking, too, y'all," Patterson Harris said. "Having someone the stature of Willie Lusk in your neighborhood let you know and made you feel like you were somebody."

According to the new marker, Lusk was born in San Angelo in 1914 and moved to Lubbock in 1934. He worked at Brown's Boot and Saddle Shop on Broadway for a number of years. Lusk, who was Black, eventually rose to become foreman of the shop and oversaw 22 mostly white bootmakers.

In 1946, Lusk opened his own shop at 1706 Ave. A.

"We had no idea, at least I didn't, the magnitude of what he was doing on that block as his craft reached out so far in this nation," Patterson Harris said.

Lusk, who died in 1976, was known for quality boots, which often included his distinctive flame stich. His clients included Ronald Reagan, Betty White, Merle Haggard and countless other prominent Americans.

But the bootmaker's son, Kevin Lusk, remembers his father not as much for his craft, but for his heart.

"More than bootmaker, he was a great person, a great man," Lusk said. "You've heard he's a big guy. Yes, but a heart of gold. He never bragged about anything. He just did what he did, and when you're good, you don't have to."

"I say as time goes by, we fade, but we should do what we can while we're here to make an impact. And that's what he did."

The historical marker is located at Willie Lusk Park at East 26th Street and Oak Avenue.

"Willie once said, 'If a boot don't fit, it ain't worth wearing.' Lusk Boots were worth wearing. And Willie Lusk and his boot prints are worth remembering," Fortenberry said.

More history about Willie Lusk and his boots can be found in an online exhibit from the Museum of Texas Tech University at ttumuseumexhibitions.com/luskboots.