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All the United States Kansas Cawker City World's Largest Ball of Twine

World's Largest Ball of Twine

It's big, it's a ball, and it's made of twine—the world's largest of its kind.

Cawker City, Kansas

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The Ball of Twine as it appears in 2023.   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
The Ball of Twine Suite, an active guest house, is located across the street.   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
The circumference of the ball of twine is measured each year.   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
A nearby mural that includes the ball of twine in the letter ‘K’ of Cawker City.   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
Halloween twine!   K3P0 / Atlas Obscura User
Cawker City, Kansas Britt Todd   Britt Todd / Atlas Obscura User
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The sidewalks of Cawker City have a stripe of yellow paint that leads to the ball of twine.   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This twine ball isn't just huge – it's continually growing. No better way to ensure that it maintains the title of the World's Largest, of course.

Every August, Cawker city holds the annual twine-a-thon. This is a chance to add your contribution to the world's largest ball of twine. 

Frank Stober started the ball of twine in 1953. In Just 4 years the ball weighed 5000 lbs and stood eight feet tall.

There is not much in Cawker City but the local businesses get in the spirit with twine-themed artworks in the windows and a painted twine stripe on the sidewalk. However, driving around the area is an experience.  The neighborhood is slightly empty and eerie with odd collections in the residents' yards and broken-down buildings everywhere. The perfect site for a horror film.

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Monuments Giant Spheres Spheres

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kcmick

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Britt Todd, JoeBenSimo, alisaj1964, K3P0...

  • Britt Todd
  • JoeBenSimo
  • alisaj1964
  • K3P0
  • ianlefk
  • megandeer

Published

March 10, 2013

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  • https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/09/twisted-the-battle-to-be-the-worlds-largest-ball-of-twine/379828/
World's Largest Ball of Twine
Cawker City, Kansas, 67430
United States
39.51251, -98.433672

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Photo of Cawker City

Cawker City

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Nearby Places

Eyegore's Curiosities and Monster Museum

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miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Cawker City

Cawker City

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