You wouldn't expect to find a mass grave outside Chicago holding the remains of 86 clowns, acrobats, strongmen, and other circus performers. Yet these poor souls really do reside here, and they met their ends in a tragic accident on the rails outside of Hammond, Indiana. Many of them died instantly in what was soon discovered to be a completely preventable accident.
This Unassuming Graveyard Outside Of Chicago Has A Dark And Tragic History
By
Editorial Staff in
Geeks and Gaming
On 4th June 2015
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#1 In the early morning hours of June 22, 1918, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus troupe was headed by rail to Hammond, Indiana, when technical difficulties forced the conductor to stop the train.
In the early morning hours of June 22, 1918, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus troupe was headed by rail to Hammond, Indiana, when technical difficulties forced the conductor to stop the train.
#2 It's believed that many were killed on impact. Those who managed to escape the wreckage watched in horror as the train's kerosene lanterns ignited what was left of the two trains.
For the next several hours, rescuers fought the blaze and pulled bodies from the wreckage. Another train carrying Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus performers had arrived safely in Hammond ahead of the doomed train. They only learned the fate of their colleagues hours later.
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#3 In the aftermath of the crash, the Showmen's League of America purchased 750 plots in Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.
Most of the victims' remains were charred beyond recognition. Those that they were able to identify were buried under their stage names.
#4 Today, an elephant statue marks the mass grave of these circus performers.
What happened to these folks really is a tragedy. I can't imagine a worse fate than being trapped in burning wreckage, but we can at least hope that most of the victims died without suffering.
