Showmen's Rest, Circus performers burial plot in Forest Park, Illinois, United States.
The cemetery section contains 750 plots within Woodlawn Cemetery, marked by five stone elephants with their front feet resting on balls.
In June 1918, a railroad accident claimed the lives of 86 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus members, leading to a mass burial at this location.
The graves display circus-related inscriptions and nicknames instead of formal names, reflecting the performers' identities through their professional roles.
The Showmen's League of America maintains this dedicated burial ground, which continues to accept circus industry members for interment.
Many tombstones bear designations like '4 Horse Driver' or 'Unknown Female No. 43' due to difficulties identifying victims after the train disaster.
Location: Forest Park
Part of: Woodlawn Cemetery
GPS coordinates: 41.85058,-87.81944
Latest update: May 27, 2025 13:24
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