This Giant Attraction In Ohio Was Actually Imported From Maryland

Ohio is home to some particularly epic larger-than-life roadside attractions, from Big Muskie’s Bucket to the World’s Largest Basket. But there’s another superlative attraction hiding in the Buckeye State that’s not even from Ohio at all. Crabbie, The World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab, is an iconic Ohio attraction transported from Baltimore, Maryland, with a story befitting his giant stature.

Horseshoe crabs can be found all along the Atlantic Coast. They vary in size, with females between 16 to 19 inches, and males roughly three times larger…

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…but not this much larger. Meet Crabbie, The World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab, whose home is right here in Ohio.

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You’re probably wondering how this massive marine arthropod traveled all the way from the ocean to landlocked Ohio, and it’s quite an interesting story.

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Crabbie was constructed in 1995 for an attraction in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The fiberglass arthropod is 67 feet long, 28 feet wide, and 12 feet high (with an even longer tail that sticks up behind the structure). It’s open on the inside, with room for literally dozens of people to comfortably stand.

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Crabbie was initially used as a space for teaching about the Chesapeake Bay’s marine life at the Columbus Center; a way to generate buzz and attract visitors.

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After his stint in Baltimore, Crabbie was transported to a creationist museum in Kentucky, then a church in Blanchester, Ohio (pictured here), and now resides in Hillsboro, Ohio.

J. Stephen Conn/Flickr This massive attraction also had a cameo in the “Twilight” saga: a World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab tee was included in the T-shirt quilt given to Bella by her mother in the “Eclipse” movie.

Today, Crabbie is located off Highway 124 in Hillsboro, Ohio, and is both free to visit and 100% worth the detour.

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Did you know the story of this giant attraction in Ohio? This commanding crustacean is definitely one of the coolest roadside attractions in Ohio!

walknboston/Flickr

Adam Fetherolf/Google Local

Stephen Francia/Google Local

J. Stephen Conn/Flickr

This massive attraction also had a cameo in the “Twilight” saga: a World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab tee was included in the T-shirt quilt given to Bella by her mother in the “Eclipse” movie.

Scott Grossman/Google Local

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Address: World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab, 7592 OH-124, Hillsboro, OH 45133, USA