Delavan, Wisconsin -
Circus Dead Buried Here

The cemetery in Delavan, Wisconsin has colorful circus markers on some of the graves. I know this because I used to live in front of that cemetery. Every year, there were tours of the cemetery and the mausoleum. I went one year and they showed us pictures of all the late performers, how they died and where they were buried. Sorry, but I really can't remember any names. I know that one circus owner is buried in a glass coffin only a feet down because he was claustrophobic. Many people in the town will tell you that their are many circus animals (including a few elephants) buried in the land in front of the cemetery. There used to be a circus museum in Delavan. I think that it is still there. The town prides itself on the fact that they too were winter quarters for many circuses. [Lia Mittelstadt, 07/03/1999]

[RA: From 1847-94, no fewer than 26 circuses had their winter quarters in Delavan. The "colorful circus markers" are apparently metal disks with elephant art marking where a circus employee is interred (and these may not be maintained since this 1999 tip came in).]