Umair Gaines
The Buick Electra, a full-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by Buick from 1959 to 1990, was named after Texas heiress, socialite, and sculptor Electra Waggoner Biggs. She was born on November 8, 1912, and was named after her aunt, Electra Waggoner, after whom the town of Electra, Texas, is also named. Biggs was the owner of a half-million-acre Waggoner Ranch northwest of Dallas and the sister-in-law of Harlow H. Curtice, former president of Buick and later president of General Motors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Electra Waggoner Bowman Biggs |
| Birth Date | 8 November 1912 |
| Death Date | 23 April 2001 |
| Known As | Heiress, socialite, sculptor, and artist |
| Sculptures | Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, Knute Rockne |
| Marriage | John Biggs |
| Parents | E. Paul Waggoner and Helen |
| Education | Miss Wright's Boarding School in Pennsylvania |
| Other Names | The Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop |
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What You'll Learn
The sculptor and ranch heiress
The Buick Electra, manufactured and marketed from 1959 to 1990, was named after Texas sculptor and socialite Electra Waggoner Biggs, who was born in 1912 and passed away in 2001. Biggs was the heiress to the Waggoner Ranch in Texas, which was nearly half a million acres in size and located northwest of Dallas. She was also the sister-in-law of Harlow H. Curtice, the former president of Buick and later, president of General Motors.
Biggs was a talented artist and sculptor, creating sculptures of prominent figures such as Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, and Knute Rockne, among others. Her sculpture of Will Rogers, titled "Into the Sunset," was dedicated in 1947 in front of the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, with General Dwight D. Eisenhower unveiling the statue and President Truman and his wife in attendance. Replicas of the statue were placed at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and near the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma.
Biggs' social status allowed her to rub shoulders with high society, including people with surnames such as Rockefeller, Bouvier, and Chrysler. She married John Biggs, who worked for the International Paper Company but later enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. They had two daughters, Electra III and Helen.
Electra Waggoner Bowman Biggs' artistic talents and privileged background made her a notable figure, and her legacy is honoured through the naming of both the Buick Electra and the Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft after her.
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Texas socialite
The Buick Electra was named after Texas socialite and sculptor Electra Waggoner Biggs. Biggs was born on November 8, 1912, and was named after her aunt, Electra Waggoner, after whom the town of Electra, Texas, is also named. Biggs grew up in a privileged family and attended Miss Wright's Boarding School in Pennsylvania, where she discovered her love for art. She went on to study sculpture in New York and at the Sorbonne in Paris. She was an accomplished sculptor, creating busts of two US presidents and other American figures, including Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, and Knute Rockne.
Biggs was also a Texas heiress and owner of a portion of the Waggoner Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Texas. The ranch was over half a million acres and located northwest of Dallas. She was the sister-in-law of Harlow H. Curtice, the then-president of General Motors (GM) and former chief of Buick.
In addition to the Buick Electra, the Lockheed L-188 Electra airliner was also named after Biggs. On May 17, 1959, Biggs and her daughter, also named Electra, participated in a branding ceremony at Dallas Love Field, where the Lockheed Electra plane was named. The plane was expected to reduce flying time to the East Coast by about an hour.
The name "Electra" has been described as trendy and futuristic, especially when applied to a conservative car. It has also been noted that the name sounds like that of a femme fatale.
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Her sculpting subjects
The Buick Electra was named after Texas heiress, socialite, and sculptor Electra Waggoner Biggs. She was the sister-in-law of Harlow H. Curtice, the former president of Buick and later president of General Motors.
Biggs was born on November 8, 1912, and was named after her aunt, Electra Waggoner, after whom the town of Electra, Texas, is also named. Her father, E. Paul Waggoner, was an heir to the Waggoner Ranch in Texas. Biggs discovered her talent for sculpture after taking a class in the subject to fill her days. She is known for her sculptures of Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, and Knute Rockne, among numerous other prominent subjects.
One of her most iconic sculptures is 'Into the Sunset', dedicated in 1947 in front of the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth. Replicas of the statue were placed at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and near the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma.
Biggs' sculpting career blossomed as she socialised with high society in New York. Fort Worth newspaper tycoon Amon G. Carter, Sr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, commissioned her to do a bust of Vice President John Nance Garner for the 1936 Texas Centennial. Despite Garner refusing to pose, Biggs persevered and waited for him to emerge from behind his newspaper in his office.
Biggs' artistic career reached its pinnacle with the dedication of 'Into the Sunset' in 1947, with General Dwight D. Eisenhower unveiling the statue and President and Mrs. Truman in attendance.
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Her family
The Buick Electra was named after Electra Waggoner Biggs, a Texas-born heiress, socialite, and artist. Biggs was born on November 8, 1912, and was named after her aunt, Electra Waggoner, after whom the town of Electra, Texas, is also named. Her father, E. Paul Waggoner, was an heir to the Waggoner Ranch in Texas, a half-million-acre ranch northwest of Dallas. Her mother, Helen, was a socialite.
Biggs grew up in a privileged family and attended Miss Wright's Boarding School in Pennsylvania. She discovered a talent for sculpture, creating iconic sculptures of Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, Knute Rockne, and numerous other prominent subjects. She was also a prominent figure in New York social life and was frequently seen at various clubs and hotels, where she socialized with people from prominent families.
Biggs married John Biggs on April 25, 1943. The couple had two daughters: Electra III, born in 1944, and Helen, born in 1946. In 1945, the Biggs family moved back to the Waggoner Three D Ranch.
Biggs was also the sister-in-law of Harlow H. Curtice, the former president of Buick and later president of General Motors. This connection may have played a role in the Buick Electra being named after her.
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The naming of other Buick models
The Buick Electra was named after Electra Waggoner Biggs, a Texas-born heiress, socialite, and artist. The car was named by her brother-in-law, Harlow H. Curtice, former president of Buick and later president of General Motors.
The Buick LaCrosse, Lucerne, and Enclave models represent the company's new focus on premium automobiles. The Buick LaCrosse, introduced in 2009, was well-received by the market and compared favorably to luxury models such as the Lexus ES.
The Buick Regal is another notable model that returned in the 2010s, along with several new model names. The Buick Regal GS, for example, made a digital comeback to America for the 2026 model year.
The Buick Skylark, introduced in 1953, was a popular model that underwent various design changes over the years. The 1968-1969 Skylark featured a distinct vinyl rub strip or simple character line in the sheet metal.
The Buick Riviera, first introduced in the late '49 model year as the "Riviera trim", became a standard feature on all Buicks by the 1951 model year. The Buick Riviera was also known for its unique styling, such as the "Delta Fin" reminiscent of a rocket ship, which appeared on the 1959 model.
The Buick Roadmaster, introduced in the 1930s, was another classic model that made a comeback in the late 1990s. The 1995 Buick Roadmaster is mentioned as selling below the market average.
The Buick Special, specifically the 1958 Buick Special Ragtop, is highlighted as a great driver even 67 years after its release.
The Buick Wildcat, featuring the 455 V8 engine, is praised for its impressive performance, highlighted by an 1,800-mile road trip.
The Buick Invicta, introduced in 2008 as a concept car, featured a unique design that evolved from the "'Sweepspear' style of the 1950s".
The Buick Park Avenue Ultra, introduced in 2003, featured VentiPorts that indicated the number of pistons in the engine.
The Buick Model D, introduced in 1907, was the first full-size Buick with a four-cylinder 255.0 cu in (4,178 cc) T-head engine.
The Buick Model 10, introduced in 1910, featured an OHV four-cylinder engine and became a top-selling model for the company.
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Frequently asked questions
The Buick Electra was named after Texas heiress, socialite, and sculptor Electra Waggoner Biggs.
She was a Texas-born heiress, socialite, and artist, known for her sculptures of Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, Knute Rockne, and numerous other prominent subjects.
Yes, she was the sister-in-law of Harlow H. Curtice, former president of Buick and later president of General Motors. She was also the niece of Electra Waggoner, after whom the town of Electra, Texas, is named.
Aside from the Buick Electra, the Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop was also named after her.
