From “MOO” to “BOO”

Legend tells of how Anoka County got its auspicious start as “Halloween Capital of the World.” As the story goes, on November 1, 1919, several prominent Anoka County citizens, including the sheriff, began their days with quite the surprise. Sometime in the night, under the cover of a waxing Halloween moon, a number of live cows had been wrangled and left to roam the streets. One was found in the jail, another in the sheriff’s office, and a bull locked inside a school classroom had spent the night munching on math books. The epic prank led civic leaders to suggest a giant celebration for the following Halloween, in part, to keep the band of mischievous, would-be practical jokers otherwise occupied.

As we celebrate the centennial of Anoka’s storied history as the Halloween Capital of the World, the county is planning a special event this year. In the weeks leading up to All Hallows’ Eve, a cow will be stealthily wandering the streets and locales of Anoka, and it will be your job to find her. Take selfies of yourself with the Halloween Holstein and post them on Facebook and Instagram. Perhaps with your help, we can round her up before she causes as much trouble as her ancestors did!