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Photo: Jamestown Tourism

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A 63 year-old staple in Jamestown, the World’s Largest Buffalo is being assessed and prepared for a new coat of paint.

Since 1959, “Dakota Thunder” has long grabbed the attention of visitors and spectators world wide. The 60 ton sculpture has been painted over before, but due to aging and the delicate nature of the monument, there’s been a need to be more thorough with the next paint job.

Searle Swedlund is the Executive Director of Jamestown Tourism.

In a 2018 assessment, it was discovered the sculpture had some deterioration and there were more than a dozen coats of paint, adding more weight to the monument. A more extensive process was developed to either sandblast or chemically strip the paint on the buffalo.

The cost of the repair and refurbish project is estimated between $50,000 to $100,000.

Swedlund added that they’re seeking someone to paint the structure and hope to have something by year’s end.

You can listen to a full Let’s Talk About It with Searle Swedlund below: