Texas Jackalope - Dairy Palace - Canton, TX
N 32° 34.581 W 095° 51.350
15S E 231905 N 3607921
Not only are jackalope sightings rare in the wild, it is even rarer to hunt one down and have it as a trophy. The owners of the Dairy Palace, 2301 N Trade Days Blvd, Canton, TX, have managed such a feat, and it is displayed in their restaurant.
Waymark Code: WMZPQ5
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 12/16/2018
Views: 2
The jackalope is on display on the south wall of the restaurant, between an entrance and the ice cream area. A sign on the front of the wooden mount indicates that this one was eight pounds, seven ounces, bagged on 10/08/84 here in Van Zandt County.
A combination of "jackrabbit" and "antelope", the jackalope is descended from neither rabbit nor antelope, and many representations utilize deer antlers. Jackrabbits are hares, and what is often called an "antelope" in jackalope territory is actually a pronghorn. While there are references to horned rabbits dating to the Middle Ages, the North American jackalope has its roots in Wyoming in the 1930s, after Douglas Herrick and his brother went rabbit hunting. They were taxidermists, and upon returning to their store, they tossed their trophies on the counter. Placed next to a set of deer antlers, inspiration struck Mr. Herrick, and an industry was born. This by no means invalidates earlier tales of the jackalope, which actually may have been sightings of rabbits infected by the Shope papilloma virus. The virus causes tumors on the rabbit's head -- sometimes in the mouth, leading to starvation -- and could easily be mistaken for horns.
Time Period: Modern
Approximate Date of Epic Period: 1930s and beyond
Epic Type: Mythical
Exhibit Type: Other
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