Tragedy struck in February 1910 when eight year Old Ben slipped and fell on a patch of ice and broke his leg. Ben had to be destroyed. At the time of his death, he weighed 4,720 pounds, stood 6 feet 4 inches tall, and was more than 16 feet from nose to tail.
When Old Ben had to be put down, the local butcher suggested selling his meat to the local community, but the locals responded with an unanimous "NO!". Instead, Old Ben was shipped off to a meat packer in Indianapolis, and his hide was stuffed and returned to the farm he was raised on.
Old Ben was eventually donated to the city of Kokomo, Indiana, and was placed in a windowed shed where you can still see him today.
Tragedy struck in February 1910 when eight year Old Ben slipped and fell on a patch of ice and broke his leg. Ben had to be destroyed. At the time of his death, he weighed 4,720 pounds, stood 6 feet 4 inches tall, and was more than 16 feet from nose to tail.
When Old Ben had to be put down, the local butcher suggested selling his meat to the local community, but the locals responded with an unanimous "NO!". Instead, Old Ben was shipped off to a meat packer in Indianapolis, and his hide was stuffed and returned to the farm he was raised on.
Old Ben was eventually donated to the city of Kokomo, Indiana, and was placed in a windowed shed where you can still see him today.
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