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Orick, California: Big Diamond Historical Marker

Memorial marker in a parking lot remembers an elephant who died and was buried nearby in 1927, and was mistaken for a mastodon when unearthed years later. Installed by E Clampus Vitus in 1993.

Address:
10 Hufford R, Orick, CA
Directions:
Along US Hwy 101 in the former Hawg Wild Bar & Grill parking lot. Another marker is located in the post office area (across the street?).
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Marker.

Big Diamond Historical Marker

The bar parking lot it's in is no longer the Hawg Wild. The sign reads "The Lumberjack." The rock the plaque is on is in the front parking lot facing the hill towards the freeway.

[Doneen, 08/29/2013]

Big Diamond's bones were dug up in the vicinity. The neon and metal sign for The Lumberjack appears stained and rusted, so perhaps Hawg Wild was a short-lived tenant beneath the old axeman's blade?

Dead elephant memorial.

Big Diamond Memorial

A memorial marker in the parking lot of The Hawg Wild Bar & Grill for a circus elephant that died near this spot in 1927. The bones were dug up years later and thought to be that of a mastodon until locals who had known of the elephants death reported the incident to investigators.

Inscription: "Big Diamond", a circus elephant expired near here in 1927. His skinned hulk was buried. Years later, his bones were unearthed and speculation arose about a Humboldt mastodon until investigators were enlightened by people who'd seen the pachyderm's ignominious end.

Erected 1993 by E Clampus Vitus Eureka Chapter 101.

[Kim, 10/20/2009]

Obscure event commemorated by the mysterious E Clampus Vitus. We found an account about the elephant online, imperfectly OCR'd from an old publication, so it doesn't seem to be fiction.


Nearby Offbeat Places

The Orick PeanutThe Orick Peanut, Orick, CA - < 1 mi.
Douglas Bridge MemorialDouglas Bridge Memorial, Klamath, CA - 16 mi.
Radar Station B-71: Farmhouse DisguiseRadar Station B-71: Farmhouse Disguise, Klamath, CA - 16 mi.
In the region:
Bigfoot Motel and Cage, Willow Creek, CA - 33 mi.

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