User:Morogris/MSP

Ms. Pearl is a 14 ft tall squirrel statue located in Cedar Creek, Texas, United States. It is the largest squirrel statue in the world. Erected in 2011, Ms. Pearl draws between 30 to 100 visitors daily. Ms. Pearl epitomizes the "everything's bigger in Texas" idiom and stands as a cultural attraction in the region. The statue stands upright, holding a large pecan in its hands. Ms. Pearl has its dedicated website, has been featured in various TV shows, and has a variety of souvenirs inspired by it. The statue is owned and situated adjacent to the Berdoll Pecan Candy and Gift Company. This company harvests pecan trees and offers a diverse range of pecan-inspired food items, notably their pecan pies.

History and description
Ms. Pearl is the largest squirrel statue in the world, standing at 14 ft tall. Situated in Cedar Creek, Texas, United States, alongside Texas State Highway 71 (SH 71) between Bastrop and Austin, the statue stands on the property of Berdoll Pecan Candy and Gift Company. This family-owned establishment operates as both a pecan shop and orchard. Culturally, Ms. Pearl embodies the "everything's bigger in Texas" idiom and serves as a cultural attraction in Cedar Creek. Constructed in August 2011 by Blue Genie Art Industries, the statue gained its name through a contest organized by the shop, during which several customers submitted ideas. Ms. Pearl emerged as the winning name. "It’s sassy, fun and it suits [it] perfectly", the owners said. Additionally, customers played a role in choosing the design, as the owners presented several miniature molds for them to select the most appealing one.

The statue stands tall in an upright position, grasping a pecan in its hands. It is visible from SH 71 for drivers traveling between Austin and Bastrop. Adjacent to the highway, there is a large red neon sign advertising the store. The signage on the statue says that between 30 to 100 people stop at the shop take pictures with Ms. Pearl on a regular basis. It is popular particularly with selfies. The peak season for visitors to Ms. Pearl and the pecan shop is during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Texas Longhorns football game weekends.

In June 2015, the statue underwent a makeover, temporarily undergoing construction. The enhancements included a new paint coating and the addition of a deck, allowing visitors to get closer to the statue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners playfully adorned Ms. Pearl with a giant face mask each month for 13 months. This was done as a tongue-in-cheek gesture by the owners to "keep Ms. Pearl safe" while also signaling to drivers that the Berdoll company remained open, despite pandemic-related business closures.

Ms. Pearl has a dedicated website titled "Ms. Pearl: The Giant Squirrel Statue in Texas." The website offers a detailed timeline of its history, a visitor-submitted gallery showcasing pictures, and videos of Ms. Pearl on TV shows. There is also a shop with Ms. Pearl offering a diverse array of items such as mugs, cookies, postcards, bumper stickers, shirts, and magnets.

Adjacent structures
Adjacent to the Ms. Pearl statue is the Berdoll Pecan Candy and Gift Company, a pecan shop that opened in 1986. The store is accompanied by a 9000 sqft facility equipped with shelling and candy-making equipment. Visitors are encouraged to observe the pecan processing activities through the building's windows. Behind the facility is the Berdoll Pecan Farm, a 340 acre pecan farm that was formed in 1948. This farm hosts an orchard boasting 15,000 trees. In 2018, the shop sold over an average of 11,730 pecan pies annually. As of 2022, the Berdoll company boasts an annual pecan production of about 600,000 tons that are sold across the Austin area and the entire United States.

Ms. Pearl and the entire company are currently owned by Jennifer (Berdoll) Wammack and Jared Wammack. Previously, the company was owned by Jennifer's parents, Hal and Lisa Berdoll, who transferred management to them in 2009. Around 15 individuals are employed at the store, while an additional 20 work in the shelling and candy-making facility.

Ms. Pearl is accessible to the public year-long since it is located outside of the shop. The store also operates year-round with two different schedules based on the season. From January to mid-March, it opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 5:30 p.m. From mid-March to December, the opening time remains the same, but the closing time extends to 7:00 p.m. During closure hours, visitors have the option to purchase pecan pies through a 24/7 vending machine, a feature that has captured the attention of both the media and locals.