World's Largest Ball of Twine at Cawker City, Kansas

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Click on Photos for larger view.

The sign to the left states:

Cawker City's
Ball of Twine
World's Largest
1988 Circumference 40' 3"
14,687 lbs.

The sign to the left states:

World's Largest Ball of Twine
Started by Frank Stoeber in 1953

Contains:

5,874,800 feet
1,791 KM
1,513 miles

Thrift + Patience = Success

Cawker City could be considered a very average town in North Central Kansas. It was incorporated on March 20, 1874, grew quickly and by 1880, had a population peek of 2,000. Since that time there has been a steady decline in commerce and population and now has 600 residents.

Near this town was Waconda Springs, a mineral springs that was sacred to Native Americans. This natural pool was 15¼ m (50 ft) in diameter and 4½ m (15 ft) across. It was situated in the middle of a 90 m (300 ft) wide mound, 12 m (40 ft) above the surrounding Solomon River Valley. In 1964, Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corp of Engineers bulldozed this sacred pool and built Glen Elder Dam and Waconda Reservoir where it had stood. Growing up, Debbie heard stories that the pool experienced the tides like the oceans. There was some debate among townsfolk if the reservoir would hold water or if it would leak through the bottom of the old springs. Although Waconda Reservoir is seldom at capacity, it's from drought rather than leakage.