Where to See the World’s Largest Steer

Kokomo is home to the record holder for the world’s largest steer, Old Ben. Born in 1902, Old Ben was the offspring of a purebred registered Hereford bull and an ordinary shorthorn cow, but he turned out to be anything but ordinary. Standing nearly 6.5 feet tall and 16 feet long, Old Ben weighed 125 pounds at birth. By the time he died in 1910, he was estimated to weigh between 4,585 and 4,720 pounds.

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Old Ben was taxidermied after he died, and though many circus and sideshow owners tried to buy him, his owners stood firm and turned down every offer, preferring to show him themselves at fairs all over Indiana, including the state fair, for several years. Old Ben was so popular that the Nickel Plate Railroad even ran a spur line to the farm so passengers could see him.

In 1968, Old Ben was featured in Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” and has been an object of wonder ever since. Today, the giant steer is displayed in the Highland Park pavilion, where visitors can visit each year during a holiday event.

To learn more about Old Ben, visit visitkokomo.org.