The Man-Killing Clam – Cheboygan, Michigan - Atlas Obscura
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The Man-Killing Clam

Cheboygan, Michigan

This small, nautical gift shop is home to a 500-pound behemoth.  

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The Clam sitting upon its pedestal. elvenking42 (Atlas Obscura User)
The Clam sitting upon its pedestal. elvenking42 (Atlas Obscura User)
Shelves of sea-themed stock. elvenking42 (Atlas Obscura User)
A modern billboard outside the establishment. elvenking42 (Atlas Obscura User)
The Infamous Clam Dave Hogg
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 Sea Shell City was set up in 1957 and relocated in 1963 to its current location. The kitschy shop has been selling seashells since. Though none of the shells are native to the area, the shop sells an incredibly wide variety.

The crown jewel of the shop is The Man Killing Clam, a bleached shell of a Giant Clam (Tridacna Gigas) that sits proudly along the back wall of the shop. The shell weighs more than 500 pounds and is ivory in color. There’s a light installed inside the clam to illuminate the maw of the shell. The clam’s image has been featured on local billboards for decades. 

The clam is considered “man-killing” because of its ability to trap divers by the feet. However, these clams are not carnivorous.

clams oceans nature
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August 22, 2022
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