Unraveling the Story Behind a Big Ball of Twine

NPR | By Steve Inskeep

Published November 29, 2004 at 10:52 AM EST

Cawker City, Kansas, boasts one of America's great roadside attractions: the world's largest ball of sisal twine. At least that's the claim.

Some pertinent stats: It weighs nearly 18,000 pounds. That's just shy of nine tons. And it has a circumference of 40 feet. It also has its own mini-museum, right there on Wisconsin Street.

NPR's Steve Inskeep investigates in a conversation with Kay Thull of the Cawker City Community Club.

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