Giant bison in Jamestown - the largest in the world (10 photos)

Imagine a huge bison standing in the middle of the endless plains where herds of these mighty animals once roamed.





This is not an ancient monument, but the largest bison statue in the world, and it weighs a whopping 60 tons — the same as 60 adult males.

How did the giant come to be?



In 1959, Jamestown College teacher and sculptor Elmer Paul Peterson decided to create something grandiose. Using reinforced wire, steel beams, and special cement, he built a statue 14 meters long (like a five-story building!) and 8 meters high.

The project cost $8,500, which was a fortune at the time.

Interesting things to do in the area





Next to the giant bison, in 1965, an open-air museum called "Frontier Village" appeared, stylized as a Wild West town with:

a church and an old school;

a prison and a fire station;

a barbershop and an art salon.



There is also a real herd of about 30 bison, among which a female bison named White Cloud stood out - a rare albino. Unfortunately, she died of old age in 2016, but she left behind white offspring. Such individuals are very rare and are considered sacred animals by indigenous peoples.

What is the giant's name?



For a long time, the statue had no name, but in 2010, for its 50th anniversary, a competition was held. The sonorous name Dakota Thunder won - ideal for such a famous giant.





[thumb]https://cn22.nevsedoma.com.ua/p/28/2871/132_files/8808109eb 986aa676fa5851feedc422c.webp[/thumb]