Morris the Tryon Horse has proudly represented Tryon since 1928. He is both a symbol of the community’s love of horses and a replica of an era gone by when wooden toy horses just like him were made in Tryon and shipped all over the country.  

 

The first Tryon Horse was built of wood by Meredith Lankford and Odell Peeler, two employees of Tryon Toy Makers, to advertise the first horse show held at Harmon Field in 1928 and sponsored by Tryon Riding and Hunt Club. Pulled by a car through town, the horse would lift its tail and head when the reins were pulled. The current Morris is the 4th generation of Tryon Horses and he does not travel around town as his ancestors did.  

 

In order to continue the bygone tradition of Morris rolling through Trade Street, TDDA approached local artisans Fred Herres and Bernard Eiserloh to see if they would be up for the task of building a slightly scaled down version… and that it needed to be built in less than 3 months. Fred the woodworker and Barney the metal sculptor were excited about the project and loved the idea of building a town heirloom that they accepted the challenge and got to work. After several weeks and many long hours of labor, Morris (AKA Morris version 4.5, Morris Jr., Mobile Morris or “MoMo”) was ready. 

 

The work of Fred Herres and Barney Eiserloh will serve this town for many years to come. 

 

– Submitted by Jamie Carpenter