Hugo, Oklahoma
I almost didn't do the long drive out of my general direction of travel to see this but in the end I was really glad I came here. This is the Mt. Olive Cemetery in Hugo, Oklahoma where one entire section is set aside for circus and carnival performers. I bet you didn't know such a thing existed. I didn't. Once there, I was quite moved sensing the "family feeling" among these entertaining people.
Yes, all you see in this image are circus and carnival performers.
The perimeter of this section of the cemetery is marked by these stone markers.
Let's take a walk and view some of the markers.
I think you can read most of these even when clicking on the image,
but this one because of the shadows you cannot.
It reads "There is nothing left but empty popcorn sacks and wagon tracks...the circus is gone".
There are more and I'll devote the rest of the week to these wonderful people.
12 comments:
This is a very touching post. Did you happen to learn how this came to be in Hugo, OK?
The line about empty popcorn sacks and empty tracks almost got me teary.
Looking forward to the rest of the showman cemetery.
Jo
Thats a very nice post . I know that there are special cemeteries or places on them for artists like painters,musicians and poets but circus and carnival performers I had never heard of.
This is so nice, indeed I never heard about a special cemetery for circus artists. They are mostly living and travelling around together like a family. So it is logical they want to be together for ever.
Very nice post. I didn't know there was a special cemetery for entertainers.
what a very cool thing.
What an interesting place! I never thought about where the circus performers were buried, but it's nice that they have their own place, where they're together for eternity, just like their own family plot.
Wow, that is so very interesting. I guess I never gave a final resting place for showmen much thought.
How in the world did this cemetery end up in Oaklahoma? Always like it that you go out of your way to bring us the weird and wonderful.
Reminds me of an interesting area within the Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Colma set aside for circus performers--said to have been dedicated in 1918 after a bad train accident near Hammond, Indiana. No elephant sculptures that I've ever found, though. (((by the way, some cemeteries in Coma are definitely not friendly to photogs but I've never run into any trouble at the Mt. Olivet)))
Interesting...so I looked it up! Turns out, Hugo serves as a winter quarters for circus performers...who knew. Next time we're down that way, I'm going to check it out.
The elephants are interesting design choices.
Interesting pictures - I think some would look good in black and white.
I did some reading a while back and now try to get on an "eye level" with the birds. This has the advantage of meaning the camera and lens is on a shorter monopod leg, so its easier to hold - and I think the pictures look better as well.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
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