42Three Bears, Fully Insured

Crossing the creek-bed of stacked flagstone outside this bank branch: a bronze mama bear mid-stride, a cub hustling to keep up with its nose in the air, and — over by the boulders — a third bear reared up to its full height, which in this casting is a very sincere eight and a half feet and the better part of a thousand pounds. Sculptor Jack Walker made the family; the bank set them loose on the landscaping in July 2020.

Why bears at a bank? Because this is Waco, where the bear is practically municipal. TFNB — “Your Bank for Life,” doing business in these parts since the 1880s — wanted its new downtown building to tip its hat to Baylor's spirit, and there is no more committed hat-tip than a half-ton of bronze wildlife between the parking lot and the front door. Bonus for trail walkers: this stroll opened on the Tree of Life wall, which belongs to the same bank's East Waco branch. One bank, two branches, two pieces of public art. An art habit, frankly. Waco approves.