How the Biggest Ball of Twine made a tiny Minnesota town a top road trip stop

Anna Haecherl | SCTimes

DARWIN – What started as a simple way to pass the time for one man became a decades-long project that grew into one of the most iconic roadside attractions in the state – if not the country.

Darwin, Minnesota, population 350, is known for being the home of the World's Largest Ball of Twine Rolled by One Man. And Francis Johnson – its creator – was more than just persistent and dedicated to his project.

"Over the course of his life, Francis rolled the twine ball, and he put in about four hours a day, every day, for 29 years," Darwin Mayor Josh Johnson said.

Whoa.

Perhaps saying Francis was just persistent or dedicated might not do him – or his colossal creation – justice. Because those roughly three decades of work put Darwin on the map as a destination for travelers, tourists and weekend sightseers.

MORE: Four famous statues you need to see on your next Minnesota road trip

"You could maybe call him a little eccentric," said Mayor Johnson, who is no relation to Francis. However, Mayor Johnson's grandfather helped bring the twine ball from Francis' home into town during his own 20-plus-year term as the mayor of Darwin.

If not eccentric, at least creative, because Francis created what many would consider the quintessential roadside attraction from a project he started in his basement.

"When you think 'roadside attraction' you think big, impressive, inspiring, fascinating and yes, even puzzling," Johnson said. "The twine ball is all those adjectives, and more, wound into one."

MORE: Let's kick it! Here's your Central Minnesota Summer Bucket List

Why twine? Why roll it? And what would compel a man to roll twine into a 12-foot-tall, 17,400-pound ball?

"The people that knew Francis say he rolled it because it was there," Johnson said. "It was just something that he started doing."

Francis started rolling in 1950 while the rest of America watched "Howdy Doody" and "The Ed Sullivan Show" on small, black-and-white televisions. But that's not to say Francis couldn't have caught an episode of "The Lone Ranger" or – maybe more fittingly – "Ripley's Believe It or Not!," which made its television debut in March 1949.

MORE: 7 songs about Minn. by Minn. musicians

And he kept rolling for nearly three decades. Francis rolled through the moon landing, the Summer of Love, the assassination of President Kennedy and both the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Francis collected his own twine over the years, according to Johnson. But local farmers also would pitch in their twine, keeping it for him and bringing it to Francis for his prized sisal sphere.

"He would unroll it, string it all out, tie the strings together, spool it up and then go through the process of adding it to the twine ball," Johnson said. "So really the community took up the cause with him to collect that throughout the years."

His work started in his basement, but Francis had to move his twine ball outside before it reached the point it would no longer fit through a door. When Francis brought the twine ball outside, he had to use a railroad jack to turn it so it kept its round form.

"Francis was especially proud of the precise spherical shape of his twine ball," Johnson said.

Francis stopped rolling in 1979 for health reasons. He died in 1989.

More: Road trip! 3 Minnesota towns to make a day out of before summer's gone

"He died of emphysema and all the locals would assume it was from 30 years of twine ball dust," Johnson said. "And that's probably the case because he wasn't a smoker."

A plaque placed near the twine ball might put the reasoning behind Francis' work best: "Possibly the most unique part of this is that the twine ball was made entirely by one person who saw himself to be a self-made man and he was proud of his accomplishments."

Francis' family subsequently donated his twine ball to the city of Darwin, where it has been proudly displayed along the town's main street since 1991.

"Everyone here is incredibly proud of it," Johnson said. "We say it's the twine that binds."

Honoring the nearly 9-ton twine ball is a task Darwin does not take lightly. The city pays homage to its local legend every year on the second Saturday in August with Twine Ball Day. The annual event even includes a "Twine K" race. The 27th Annual Darwin Twine Celebration will be held Aug. 11 this year.

MORE: Only 5 days left to vote in the 2018 Best of Central Minnesota reader's survey

But it's not just the Darwin community fascinated by the twine ball Francis completed nearly 40 years ago. During the summer, Johnson estimates more than 100 people visit the site each day.

"We have people from all over the world that visit the twine ball," Johnson said. Flipping through the museum's guestbook, it's not uncommon to spot international visitors as well.

Some of those visitors are fans of "Weird Al" Yankovic, who wrote a song about Darwin's largest resident called "Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota." Yankovic made a stop in Darwin to see the twine ball in the early 1990s. Johnson said he was allowed to hug and grab a photo when he visited.

MORE: Cool off indoors with these Minn.-made flicks

Francis' twine ball is available for viewing 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, along Darwin's main street.

"You can't miss it. It's only a three-block main street," Johnson said.

But the museum building is only open dependent on volunteer availability. Johnson said the twine ball's Facebook page is the best way to contact the museum, or by calling a phone number that is posted on the museum's door.

"We will almost always be able to get somebody there to meet them," Johnson said.

That person might even be the mayor of Darwin. But he doesn't mind because "the nicest people in the world" are usually the ones who stop by to see Darwin's famous twine ball, Johnson said.

"Nobody that is rude or crude goes out of their way to see a giant ball of twine," Johnson said. "So I enjoy talking with people down there."

"I believe it is a great representation of the treasures and charm that small-town America holds," Johnson said. "And like small-town America, it has a story to tell. A story of people and community, and we welcome visitors to share in that story."

Anna Haecherl is a born-and-raised Minnesotan interested in all things that make the Land of 10,000 Lakes quirky and great. Contact Anna at ahaecherl@stcloudtimes.com or 320-259-3662. Follow Anna on Twitter @AnnaHaecherl.

If you go

The twine ball and museum are on Darwin's main street – right under the water tower – near the intersection of First Street and East Williams Street.

The twine ball is available for viewing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The museum is open dependent on volunteer availability, but if you send a message to the twine ball's Facebook page, there's a good chance someone will be able to meet you at the site when you arrive.