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Two-Headed Calf.
Head #1 (or perhaps #2) wore an Uncle Sam hat during the 2016 presidential election.

Two-Headed Calf, Shrunken Head

Field review by the editors.

Covington, Kentucky

The stuffed two-headed calf at the Behringer-Crawford Museum has become that institution's icon. The museum calls it "emblematic" and bestows a Two Headed Calf Award at an annual dinner "for accomplishments in history, education, and community service."

Shrunken head.
According to its sign, the Shrunken Head came from the Jivaro natives of the Amazon.

Another visitor favorite is the museum's shrunken head, part of a collection of oddities gathered by museum namesake William Behringer, who's described by a museum sign as a "self-educated naturalist and taxidermist." When he died in 1948 his family gave his relics to the city, which opened the museum on July 5, 1950.

The calf was acquired later, by the museum's other namesake, Ellis Crawford. It was born in 1916 in Decatur, Ohio, and, unlike other two-headed calves, this one also had two tails, two hearts, two brains, and six legs. According to Laurie Risch, the museum's Executive Director, the calf's previous owner was a local tavern, where it stood for 40 years before it was purchased by Crawford. Its legs later fell off, and the calf has rested on its belly since the mid-1980s.

The calf was originally named Dido, but a contest among local schoolchildren came up with the name Udder Chaos.

The primary focus of the Behringer-Crawford Museum is regional history, art, and culture, and for 16 years (1991-2007) the calf and the head were "retired" and in storage. The museum didn't give them much thought until it began logging the questions asked by visitors of its staff. What the museum found was that the most frequently asked question was, "Where is the two-headed calf?" The second was, "Where is the shrunken head?"

They've been back on display ever since.

Two-Headed Calf, Shrunken Head

Behringer-Crawford Museum

Address:
1600 Montague Rd, Covington, KY
Directions:
Behringer-Crawford Museum, in a display cabinet on the fourth floor. I-75/71 to exit 191 (Pike St./12th St. Turn west onto Pike St. (US Hwy 25) and instantly turn right onto Lewis St. Dip down a hill and follow one-way Lewis through three quick stop signs. At the third bear slightly right (look for the VFW military mural) onto Montague and drive up the hill. Turn right at the top of the hill to stay on Montague. You'll come to a four-way stop. Turn left, and the driveway to the parking lot will be the first right.
Hours:
T-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
859-491-4003
Admission:
Adults $9.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Gravity HillGravity Hill, Covington, KY - < 1 mi.
Flying Saucer House - FuturoFlying Saucer House - Futuro, Covington, KY - < 1 mi.
Big Bourbon BottleBig Bourbon Bottle, Covington, KY - 1 mi.
In the region:
Creation Museum, Petersburg, KY - 13 mi.

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