This Is The Single Craziest Thing You Never Knew Happened In Vermont
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Kristin Grimes
Author
One of the most heartwarming love stories in all time happened in the small town of Shrewsbury, VT. But this is no ordinary love story, this is the story of a 700 pound moose who courted a Hereford cow named Jessica. Their love affair lasted a whopping 76 days, yet their story will live in the hearts of Vermonters for a lifetime.
She lived on Larry Carrara’s 40-acre farm in Shaftsbury.
The moose quickly became smitten and returned to see his lady love every day.
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For 76 magical days in the fall of 1986, a bull moose dubbed a variety of names including "Josh," "Bullwinkle," "Bruce" and "Valentino" by townspeople and tourists who visited the duo in the pasture.
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"Josh" could be seen on any given day nuzzling Jessica’s back. Along with gazing lovingly at her all day, when food was given to the cows, Josh would gently keep the other cows away so Jessica could get her meal first.
One even printed pages of moose and cow poetry submitted by readers.
This was to keep an eye on the young lovers, and to tend to the 70,000 visitors that came to see the unlikely pair. Carrara sold moose and cow memorabilia to capitalize on the duo.
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A hardcover book titled A Moose For Jessica was released and quickly sold out of the 30,000 copies first published. Pictures of the pair became famous.
Shrewsbury gained such notice that locals theorize that's why mapmaker Rand McNally decided to include the town of about 1,100 on a new world map.
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Over the weeks he got so close to Josh that he could touch him, although he never did. He didn’t want to take the wild out of the 700-pound moose.
He stayed all day and retreated at night when Carrara went home to his own wife.
One night, Josh slept under Carrara’s window and he knew that the moose would soon be leaving.
He never came back.
Do you remember the story of Jessica and her love-struck moose? Here are 11 more strange things that have happened in Vermont.
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