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Salem Sue: The World’s Largest Holstein Cow in North Dakota

You can’t miss seeing Salem Sue, the World’s Largest Holstein Cow when traveling through New Salem on a North Dakota road trip. And I mean that in two ways. One, she is absolutely one of the best and biggest world’s largest things I have ever seen (and trust me, I’ve seen a lot of world’s largest things), so it would be a travesty to drive by without at least taking a peek. And two, she’s just so big that she is IMPOSSIBLE to miss!

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

This giant fiberglass cow stands at 38 feet tall and 50 feet wide and weighs in at an impressive 12,000 pounds (6 tons). That weight is especially impressive since she was constructed with a hollow center. Perched on a hill overlooking New Salem, you can spot her from up to five miles away!

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

This big cow was erected in 1974 by the New Salem Lions Club. It was built by artist Dave Oswald at Sculpture Mfg. Co. of LaCrosse, Wisconsin to help promote the superior Holstein herds of the area and the high quality milk they produce, and to honor the dairymen that look over them.

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

It cost $40,000 to construct the North Dakota roadside attraction in 1974. In 2019, that would be about $208,000. The money was contributed by dairymen, farmers, businessmen, the dairy industry and local residents.

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

Sue was only the second giant animal roadside attraction created in North Dakota, but certainly not the last. The first was the World’s Largest Buffalo in Jamestown, which was built 15 years earlier in 1959. That attraction’s popularity set the stage for Sue’s construction and all the other giant animals to come.

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

Nowadays you can find many world’s largest animals in North Dakota including Sandy the Sandhill Crane in Steele, Rusty the Turtle in Turtle Lake, and Wally the Walleye in Garrison along with the World’s Largest Catfish in Wahpeton, North Dakota, which was created by Dave Oswald, the same artist who make Salem Sue!

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

Salem Sue, the World’s Largest Holstein Cow, is the most impressive giant cow I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot of giant cows, including Sissy the Cow in Wisconsin, Bessie the Cow in Wisconsin, and Gertrude the Cow in Illinois.

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

From the tops of her horns to the tips of her hooves and all the shining big black and white body in between, she is one beautiful bovine. But I can’t talk about Sue without talking about her one feature that has had visitors snickering for years: her big, bloated, veiny, udders. They are UDDER-ly amazing!

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

Even if you’re not a fan of roadside attractions (though I can’t imagine anyone not being one!), this should still be a must-stop road trip pit-stop for the gorgeous 360-degree views across the expansive farmland below. And, just maybe, you might fall in love with this giant fiberglass cow while you’re up there enjoying the view from Salem Sue!

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

Salem Sue isn’t just one of the best roadside attractions in North Dakota, she’s one of the best roadside attractions in all of the United States. One visit will surely leave you having a mooriffic day and singing the “Ballad of the Holstein” (sung to the tune of “Joy to the World,” from a brochure at the local gas station):

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

We’ve got the World’s
Largest Holstein cow,
That looks across our fields.

Her presence shows
That New Salem grows,
With Milk-producers’ yields:

Friends will come and
View from near and far,
She will tell to all
Just where we are;

We’ve got a cow
World’s largest cow,
That looks across our fields.

More photos of Salem Sue, The World’s Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem North Dakota

Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions
Salem Sue: The World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota | North Dakota Roadside Attractions

Salem Sue, The World’s Largest Holstein Cow

Address: 8th Ave. N, New Salem, ND (off of I-94, follow the signs!)
Cost: Free to See, donations accepted
Hours: Daytime hours 6:00am – 11:00pm, daily


Pin this North Dakota roadside attraction:

Enjoy the landscape view from Salem Sue, the World's Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota. This giant fiberglass cow is one weird roadside attraction in North Dakota. A must for any list of things to do in North Dakota or road trip bucket list. It's a travel destination you can't miss.
#NorthDakotaRoadsideAttractions #NorthDakotaRoadsideAttraction #RoadsideAttractions #RoadsideAttraction #RoadTrip #NorthDakotaRoadTrip #NorthDakotaBucketList #ThingsToDoInNorthDakota
Enjoy the landscape view from Salem Sue, the World’s Largest Holstein Cow in New Salem, North Dakota. This giant fiberglass cow is one weird roadside attraction in North Dakota. A must for any list of things to do in North Dakota or road trip bucket list. It’s a travel destination you can’t miss.

VALerie BROMANN

Founder & Head Road Tripper

Val is the founder and head road tripper at Silly America. Having grown up near Berwyn's famed car kabob, The Spindle, and a restaurant with a cow on its roof, her fascination with roadside attractions started early. Today, Val has visited hundreds roadside attractions across the United States and is constantly on the lookout for the next BIG thing!

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

BY Valerie Bromann

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

The road trip you’ve been dreaming of starts here! Journal about your stops and get to know your fellow passengers with activities and exercises designed to pass the time and bring you closer together. Instead of “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself asking, “We’re there already?”. Complete with prompts you can turn to while driving between locations, this journal will one day be a memento of your life-changing trip.