Sacred Cod

In the House of Representatives chamber of the Massachusetts State House in Boston hangs a roughly 5-foot-long (about 150 cm) wooden fish, carved and painted to look lifelike, known as the "Sacred Cod." This symbol recalls the historical and economic importance of the cod fishery to the state's prosperity. The figure you see today dates from 1784 and is the third incarnation of this emblem, since two predecessors were lost. The first, whose existence is disputed by historians, was probably destroyed in a fire in 1747. The second vanished under unexplained circumstances during the American Revolution, possibly taken by British soldiers. The current fish was commissioned by the representative John Rowe to carry on the tradition, and it has hung in the chamber ever since, presiding over the heads of the legislators.

The nickname "Sacred Cod" only took hold in the late 19th century, after a committee described the emblem as "sacred." Since then, the term has become a fixture of local culture and is also used for the fish itself, which has appeared on the region's coins, seals, and postage stamps since colonial times. Over the centuries, the figure has also caused quite a stir. In 1933, for example, editors of the Harvard Lampoon stole the symbol in a humorous prank, setting off a large police search before the fish was returned to its spot after a few days. In 1968, it was briefly taken again, this time by students protesting the state's policies.

For visitors to the State House, the sight of the wooden fish in the House chamber is a unique experience that illustrates the close connection between the history of Massachusetts and the fishing industry. The Senate chamber also contains another fish figure, a brass cast often called the "Holy Mackerel," which recalls the House's cod. These representations underscore the enduring symbolic power of the cod, which is considered a historic and lasting symbol of the state and whose image remains rooted in the public imagination and the collective memory of the region.