Town in USA makes huge ball of cheese for new President, Thomas Jefferson

The Big Cheese

Are you ready for a cheesy moment? Of course you are! Well, gird yourself, as on this day in 1801 the residents of the Massachusetts town of Cheshire decided to make their newly-elected President, Thomas Jefferson, an enormous ball of cheese. Huge. Mammoth. At least 1235 pounds, four feet wide and fifteen inches thick. It could only be described as a whopper.

To celebrate Jefferson’s appointment, a man who was viewed with caution by some locals who feared his politics leaned towards the ‘French revolution’ school, a local pastor decided a great big ball of cheese was just the thing to get the new Head of State on their side.Milk from every cow in the vicinity was used and the ball assembled on a specially made cheese press that could cope with its girthy dimensions. It was then transported down the eastern seaboard and finally delivered to Jefferson on January 1st, 1802. Imagine the size of the crackers.Image By Makeitalready - Own work