The Mammoth Cheese is on display in the Tay Basin, beside the Crystal Palace.
In 1893, a 22,000 pound cheese known as the 'Mammoth Cheese' was produced in Perth to be exhibited in Chicago at the World's Columbian Exposition to promote Canadian cheese around the world. It arrived at the fair on April 25, 1893.
The arrival of the cheese at the Exposition caused some suprise and astonishment on the part of officials. It excited other emotions when it crashed through the floor of the building while it was being moved from the car to the space prepared for it. The crashing of the floor was the very thing which opened the flood gates of publicity, it was more talked about and more written up in the newspapers than any other single exhibit at the Fair.
Twelve Lanark cheese makers donated a day's milk to the project. The Mammoth Cheese was made from milk from 10,000 cows. It was 6 feet high and 28 feet in circumferance.
A small portion of the "Mammoth Cheese" which created such a stir in North America and Europe, is on permanent display at the Perth Museum along with the bronze medal it won.
© Copyright 2001- All Rights Reserved
