Salem Sue (or The World's Largest Holstein Cow) is a giant fiberglass

Holstein cow Holstein Friesians (often shortened to Holsteins in North America, while the term Friesians is often used in the UK and Ireland) are a breed of dairy cattle that originated in the Dutch provinces of North Holland and Friesland, and Schleswig-Ho ...

sculpture located in

New Salem, North Dakota New Salem is a city in Morton County, North Dakota, United States. It is part of the " Bismarck, ND Metropolitan Statistical Area" or " Bismarck-Mandan". The population was 973 at the 2020 census. New Salem was founded in 1883. Geography New S ...

, United States. Salem Sue was built in 1974 for $40,000, by donations from local farmers and residents, and was sponsored by the New Salem Lions Club in honor of the local dairy farming industry. The artist was Dave Oswald, who is also known for designing the world's largest catfish, which sits in Wahpeton, North Dakota. The cow, which is hollow, was constructed by Sculpture Mfg. Co in

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census w ...

and then transported in 3 parts before being put together. The statue stands high and long and weighs about . It sits on School Hill near

Interstate 94 Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is just east of Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern ter ...

off exit 127 S and can be viewed for several miles. Salem Sue was the second giant roadside animal sculpture built in North Dakota, after the world's largest buffalo was erected in Jamestown, North Dakota in 1959. A road leads up to the base of the statue, where one may view the surrounding terrain for a distance of several miles. Although it is free to visit, an at-will donation bin, shaped like a milk can, sits at the bottom of the hill to help maintain the property and re-paint the cow as needed. A brochure available at the nearby gas station contains the "Ballad of the Holstein" to the tune of "Joy to the World":

References

External links

Salem Sue at Roadside AmericaSalem Sue at Dakota Search
1974 sculptures Buildings and structures in Morton County, North Dakota Cattle in art Fiberglass sculptures in North Dakota Fictional cattle Outdoor sculptures in North Dakota Roadside attractions in North Dakota Tourist attractions in Morton County, North Dakota 1974 establishments in North Dakota {{NorthDakota-stub