World’s Largest Ball of Twine

Sure, wandering through cemeteries, sitting in libraries and writing haiku is a great way to spend a vacation but what about the World’s Largest Ball of Twine?

Not far from Eisenhower’s grave is Cawker City, Kansas (population 469) home of the world’s largest ball of sistal twine. It was started in the 1953 by local farmer, Frank Stoeber, who over the next decade compiled over two tons of twine into this ball. It was donated to the city in 1961 and is now estimated to weigh over 20,000 pounds and, if unspun would stretch eight million feet. That’s almost 2500 kilometers or over 1500 miles. That’s further than my drive back home to North Carolina.

And, unlike Eisenhower’s grave, I was never alone with the twine. There was a constant flow of people coming and going, taking selfies with the twine. I actually had to park over a block away.

While it may have been the highlight of some tourists’ day, mine was visiting a couple of cartographic centers, the Geographic Center of the Lower 48 States and the Geodetic Center of North America.

The Geographic Center, near Lebanon, Kansas, had more souvenir’s available for purchase but I preferred the Geodetic Center since I’m not a flat Earther.

About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is an organizer of Living Poetry, a collection of poets in the Triangle region of North Carolina where he has hosted a monthly feedback workshop for more than decade. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he lives and writes poetry.

View all posts by Bartholomew Barker →

7 Responses to World’s Largest Ball of Twine

JeanMarie says:

2021-06-29 at 20:43

❤ Fantastic! Thanks for going and reporting on it so I don’t have to. 😍

P.s. Nice selfie!

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- Bartholomew Barker says:
  
  2021-06-29 at 20:56
  
  Ah, the sacrifices I make for my readers.
  
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mbrazfieldm says:

2021-06-29 at 20:43

thanks for sharing friend, being a city slicker I really love seeing pictures of the country with quaint surprises and places to visit ALL HAIL A ROUND EARTH xo

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- Bartholomew Barker says:
  
  2021-06-29 at 21:00
  
  Hail the Oblate Spheroid! It really was strange being out in the flatlands and seeing stuff so far away. It felt kinda nice, since no one could pop out around a corner but I kept looking up, worrying about giant birds of prey.
  
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  - mbrazfieldm says:
    
    2021-06-29 at 21:39
    
    yes we have pigeons and on some moon filled nights pranksters hanging over abandoned buildings waiting…. I loved the pictures who knows I might take a trip too :) take good care friend
    
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  - Bartholomew Barker says:
    
    2021-06-29 at 21:41
    
    Travel is always worth it.
    
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