9 of Wisconsin’s ‘World’s Largest’ Attractions

Northern Wisconsin is thick with “world’s largest” monuments, which makes sense as the region was home to legendary lumberjack giant Paul Bunyan. Many of them were born out of the car culture that rapidly developed after World War II as businesses or local visitor bureaus tried to grab road trippers and summer tourist attention by one-upping flashing neon and massive signs. Many of these American giants have gone the way of the dinosaurs before them.

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Others remain, and some have gotten a second wind from travelers snapping photos to make their social media more interesting.

One such giant that’s still thriving: Chatty Belle, the “World’s Largest Talking Cow” that beckons visitors to Neillsville, in west-central Wisconsin. Measuring 16 feet tall and 20 feet long, Chatty Belle is located next to the Wisconsin Pavilion, which was an exhibit at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. Afterward, it was dismantled and reconstructed in Neillsville, and the Central Wisconsin Broadcasting radio station set up studios inside it, along with Pavilion Cheese, Wine & Gifts.

Chatty Belle, bankrolled by the radio station, was added in 1967 to promote the dairy industry and draw tourists. Plunk a quarter into Chatty and she’ll deliver a rotating recorded message sharing fun facts about the World’s Fair, the dairy industry and seasonal holiday wishes. Chatty receives about 10,000 visitors a year, according to Kevin Grap, owner of Central Wisconsin Broadcasting. “She’s still very popular,” Grap says. “People do plan their trips around seeing the world’s largest talking cow. She drives a lot of business.”