Got Milk? Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow Traditional Cache

Cows have been with us since the early Neolithic period, occupying an important role in our development as a society and culture. This is in tribute to that ubiquitous bovine that has made such an important contribution to the history of the wild, wild, west, including some of histories more famous mavericks .

All caches are along the frontage road and are not accessed from the freeway.

One of history’s more maligned cows, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow is popularly blamed for causing the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 by kicking over a lantern in her stable. In fact, while the fire did start in the O’Leary’s barn, investigators never determined the true cause, and the cow story was made up to sell newspapers, trading on the anti-Irish sentiment that ran high in the city at the time. Mrs. O’Leary (and her cow) were posthumously exonerated in 1997.

The idea of this series is a community project honoring the Bos among us.

As you drive the road, please feel free to place your own tribute cache to that great animal- the cow.