Recently we interviewed Chandler O’Leary of the fantastic illustrated travel blog Drawn the Road Again. We are thrilled to be sharing a series of O’Leary’s illustrations of roadside attractions, along with their place on Atlas Obscura, in a summer series. 

article-imageSalem Sue, illustrated by Chandler O’Leary

Lording over the farmland of North Dakota is Salem Sue — the world’s largest Holstein cow. The city of New Salem constructed the 38-foot high, 50-foot long animal in 1974 as a tribute to the cows that had made their dairy farming great. Sketched by Chandler O’Leary on Drawn the Road, two humans are dwarfed in her majesty.

While there are many giant creatures looming over our world, Salem Sue is so beloved she has her own ballad. Sing along if you like:

Her presence shows that New Salem grows,
With milk-producers’ yields;
We’ve got the cow, world’s largest cow
That looks across our fields.

article-imagephotograph by Nic McPhee

Follow more of Chandler O’Leary’s travels through illustrations at Drawn the Road Again. Stay tuned for more illustrated roadside attractions on Atlas Obscura.