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American Angus Association.

Famous Bull Tombstone And Time Capsule

Field review by the editors.

St. Joseph, Missouri

The next time that you sink your teeth into an Angus beef burger, say a silent thank you (never talk with your mouth full) to Prince Eric of Sunbeam, "the bull of the century." He sired thousands of Angus cattle, and odds are that there's a little bit of Prince Eric in every mouthful of Certified Angus meat.

When his competition days were over, Prince Eric was bought by wealthy businessman Armand Hammer, who put him out to stud on his Middletown, New Jersey cattle farm (Hammer made millions selling watered-down whiskey during World War II, then made millions more selling the leftover mash to cattle-feed manufacturers).

Prince Eric of Sunbeam.

"That one bull earned $2,000,000 for me," Hammer once boasted to Time magazine, citing Prince Eric's impressive fertility.

Prince Eric died in 1953 and was buried on his farm. He's probably still there, under the retirement community that was later built on the land. But when his "bull of the century" tombstone was threatened by the development, it was personally moved here by the director of the American Angus Association, and now lies nestled among flowers outside the headquarters' front door.

Next to the tombstone stands a limestone fence post that marks the burial spot of the Angus Centennial time capsule. It was sealed in 1973 on the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Angus cattle in the U.S. The fence post came from the Kansas ranch that was the cattle's first American home, and a plaque affixed to it praises the Angus ranchers who work "to improve the supply of high quality beef throughout the world."

Memorial stone marker.

Famous Bull Tombstone And Time Capsule

American Angus Association

Address:
3201 Frederick Ave., St. Joseph, MO
Directions:
About a mile west of I-29 exit 47. At 3201 Frederick Ave., headquarters of the American Angus Association, which is on the north side of Frederick at the corner of Brookside Drive. The marker is nestled among the flowers by the front door on the west side of the building; the tombstone is in front of the entrance as well.
Phone:
816-383-5100
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Nearby Offbeat Places

Ice Cream Cone BuildingIce Cream Cone Building, St. Joseph, MO - < 1 mi.
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Where Jesse James Was KilledWhere Jesse James Was Killed, St. Joseph, MO - 2 mi.
In the region:
TWA Moonliner II - Rocket Ship, Kansas City, MO - 49 mi.

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