Davis Mega Maze set to celebrate its 25th season: Larry Davis tells his story

STERLING - Twenty-five years ago Larry Davis came up with the idea of a "mega maze."

“Back then it was kind of a bizarre idea,” Davis said. “Which, nowadays, sounds like just a part of fall.”

The idea of farm-based corn mazes was very new at the time, with what is believed to be the country’s first-ever corn maze originating in 1993 at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. The maze was open for two weekends that fall to raise money for Midwest flood victims. According to the college, the idea of a maze was inspired by European hedge mazes, which had not gained as much popularity in the U.S.

Uncharted territory in first years of opening

For more than 150 years, the Davis family has been farming on Redstone Hill Road in Sterling. Endangered highland cattle had been gifted to the family after a fire destroyed most of its dairy farm and by the mid-1990s, the Davises were operating a petting zoo. The family decided to expand their operations to include a corn maze for kids.

The first maze Davis made was small, he said. Davis recalls the first day of the maze’s opening in 1996, when a group of schoolchildren ran through and trampled it back into the ground. The maze’s first ever run was deemed unsuccessful.

For the 1998 fall season, Davis connected with Adrian Fisher, a renowned maze maker who is based in the United Kingdom. Instead of a small 50-foot-by-50-foot exhibit, the maze would now have three-dimensional components to it like bridges.

Davis was reluctant to call Fisher, but once he did, they were able to figure out a plan for the next year’s maze in a 20-minute phone call. Fisher chose to entwine Celtic dragons into that first design.

“It was a huge investment,” Davis said. “Everybody told us we were stupid for doing this. They said, the world has become a world of couch potatoes, who’s going to want to sweat and walk through a maze?”

“It was unbelievable,” Davis said. “We had people visiting from all over the world and on several occasions since we’ve had that happen.”

Challenges to overcome

The first year came with its challenges. After planting the corn, a friend of Davis offered to spray it for weeds. The spray his friend used was mixed in with leftover weed killer used for a completely different type of plant.

A month later, the corn turned yellow and grew to be only 4 inches tall. The only thing left to do was plow it into the ground and start over.

“We had crop experts out here looking at it,” Davis said. “This time was tragic. We spent all this money, we got Adrian Fisher who designed this Celtic maze for us, and now we have to kill it all.”

Davis’ crew ended up planting something called Sorghum-sudangrass, which has the integrity of a wheat plant when full-grown. By nature it can grow 10 to 12 feet tall. When opening day came, the grass was only 4 feet tall.

“I was looking at it with my brother and I did not know what we were going to do,” Davis said. “So we had one of our crew members go through it and meet us at the victory bridge and he couldn’t do it. We realized it was time to open.”

Because of the amount of rain Massachusetts has received this year, Davis said it has been a terrible year to grow any type of crop.

“This amount of rain is not good for the corn. The corn just absolutely loves the heat and humidity,” Davis said. “It’s so very unfortunate.”

‘It’s phenomenal,’ Davis reflects on 25-year career

Every year, Davis and his team come up with a new maze to make. Twenty-five years in business means they have created 25 unique mazes with different themes.

Davis said it takes about a year to prepare each maze. The first decision they have to make is what the theme of the maze will be. After that comes the planning and the planting.

Fisher first included the idea of a “three-dimensional” maze, which is caused by having bridges out in the maze. This, Davis said, is what makes the mazes difficult to solve.

“We wanted to make sure this wasn’t just walking on dirt in between corn rows,” Davis said. “The bridges are great too because then all of a sudden, you get lifted up on a bridge and can look down on the maze. And of course, the people do that and try to figure the maze out from above, which never works.”

While intricate on the ground, from above, the mazes also have unique designs every year. Last year, the maze’s theme was inspired by the board game the Game of Life.

He declined to reveal the theme of this year's maze.

Davis said the entire process of planning the maze is stressful.

“You live by the weather,” Davis said. “You also live by anything else that might harm the corn, like blight. Fortunately not often, but that can happen.”

While the maze is the main attraction, Davis and his team have created somewhat of a festival around it. The festival includes a zip line, laser tag, inflatables, pedal carts and Kansas City barbecue.

After 25 years of business, Davis said he’s learned that maze making takes a lot of work.

“The maze is difficult to do,” Davis said. “The most frustrating thing is everything you do is temporary. It’s only up for a short period of time.”

But with every challenge Davis has faced over the past 25 years, he’s been rewarded with the joy it brings families and people of all ages.

“This is simply great for all ages and entire families,” Davis said. “It’s phenomenal just the enjoyment that it brings people.”

Today, Davis Mega Maze is one of Massachusetts' top attractions, a world-renowned destination for families to spend their fall weekends.

Davis Mega Maze is set to reopen at the end of the month and will run until Oct. 29.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Davis Mega Maze in Sterling Mass. celebrating 25 year anniversary