Sacred Cod of Massachusetts

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The Sacred Cod hanging from the House's Vistor Gallery.
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The Sacred Cod hanging from the House's Vistor Gallery.

The Sacred Cod is a carving of a codfish that hangs in the chamber of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

It represents the importance of the fishing industry in the early history of the state. Cod are very abundant in the waters surrounding Massachusetts, and in 1974 it was chosen as the official state fish.

The Sacred Cod sculpture measures five feet long and is carved out of pine. The Cod that currently hangs in the building is actually the third one to be carved. The first was destroyed in a fire in 1747, the second during the American War of Independence. The current cod was crafted around 1784 by an unknown artist.

[edit] Trivia

  • In 1933, the Cod was stolen by members of the Harvard Lampoon magazine as a practical joke. It was soon returned following outrage from the Massachusetts General Court and Bostonians.
  • There is a persistent, and untrue, rumor that the words "In Cod We Trust" are carved onto, or hung nearby, the Sacred Cod.
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