The World's Oldest Ham

myminifactory

The world's largest ham is a massive meat product that originated from a 900 pound (408.2 kg) hog and came from a leg that initially weighed 91 pounds (41.3 kg). After being cured in 1955, the weight of this enormous ham was significantly reduced to 61 pounds (27.7 kg). Smithfield Packing's subsidiary, Jordan Virginia Ham, was responsible for curing it. Today, this gigantic ham is continuously on display at the Isle of Wight County Museum in Smithfield, Virginia, where visitors can observe it 24 hours a day through Ham Cam (https://www.historicisleofwight.com/). In 1902, one of P.D. Gwaltney Jr.'s cured hams was inexplicably overlooked and remained suspended from a rafter in a packing house for an astonishing 20 years. By 1924, the ham had been placed in an iron safe where it was displayed daily to guests who were eager to view it as the world's oldest Smithfield ham. Gwaltney took creative liberties by crafting a brass collar for the ham and used it to showcase his innovative smoking method at various shows and exhibitions. The ham's incredible story even caught the attention of Ripley's Believe It Or Not in 1929, 1932, and 2003. On June 27, 2018, the ham was meticulously scanned using a Go!Scan 50 due to its immense size and slippery surface. Unfortunately, the ham's stationary display made it impossible to scan the hoof end and one side completely. The Isle of Wight County Museum kindly provided this 3D scanning data as a courtesy.