Name the Jamestown, ND Buffalo

 April 15 is a deadline most of us know well. It`s the last day to file taxes, but it`s also the final day to submit your idea to name the Buffalo Monument in Jamestown. The world`s largest bison has been presiding over the city for more than 50 years without a name.

More than 50 years ago, Harold Newman decided Jamestown needed a monument.

"It was a lot of suggestions as to what to build. A flickertail, we are the flickertail state. Buffalo? An Indian chief, but we determined that`s pretty difficult to build. Buffalo is difficult but the easiest of the bunch," said Newman, who was the original chairman of the Buffalo Committee.

So the world`s largest buffalo was born. The physical construction was complete within two years, but one thing was still missing. A name.

"One of the most common questions we get is, `doesn`t he already have a name?` And our response is, `his fame is the world`s largest buffalo, but no he doesn`t really have a name, yet," said Buffalo City Tourism Department Executive Director Nina Sneider.

Newman says it didn`t seem appropriate to name the buffalo when it was first built, but the Buffalo City Tourism Department doesn`t want the large animal to turn 50 without one.

The monument was built in 1959, and dedicated in 1960. Even without a name, it served as an important economic generator. After all, tourists love to come and see it. The buffalo was built to attract tourists to Jamestown. Even though it was built before the interstate was, its location wasn`t an accident.

"We knew the interstate was going to be going through here. We boot-strapped that," said Newman

Even though Newman didn`t name the buffalo when it was first built, he plans on entering the contest now.

Here are a few facts about the buffalo monument. It`s 26 feet tall and 46 feet long, and weighs about 60 tons. The buffalo cost about $11,000 to build.

The contest begins March 1, 2010 and ends April 15. Names can be submitted a number of ways:

- email to nemethatbuffalo@tourjamestown.com, or visit namethatbuffalo.com.
- mail to Name That Buffalo, PO Box 917, Jamestown ND, 58402
- Pick up a naming form at Gate City Bank, Big Dog Radio, KSJB/KISS Radio, National Buffalo Museum, Jamestown College, Unison, Wells Fargo, and US Bank locations and the Tourism Center (just outside the gates to Frontier Village.)

Please indicate why you think your name would be a good one for the world`s largest buffalo. Names will not be taken by telephone. The winning entry will receive a large cash award for their submission.