Circus Train Wreck Photographs (SMC 124)

Historical Note

The train wreck occurred on November 22, 1915 when the circus/carnival train owned by Con T. Kennedy was hit head on by the engine of a Central of Georgia passenger train six and ½ miles east of Columbus, Georgia. The two trains collided; the fire engulfed the circus train, resulting in many injuries and deaths. The photographs were taken by John B. McCollum, a photographer in Columbus, Georgia who had a studio on Broadway, across from the Bradley Theater. These two photos are numbers 1 and 5 of a series taken by McCollum.

A funeral cortege was held from the First Baptist Church to Riverdale Cemetery where the dead were interred. A circus tent memorial headstone was later erected commemorating the event.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of 2 photographs that have been identified as part of a series taken by John B. McCollum on November 22, 1915 in Columbus, Georgia.

Provenance

The 2 photographs were given to the CSU Archives by Claire B. Schaeffer of Palm Springs, California on July 14, 2015. She found them in her mother's collection of genealogy.

Permission to Publish

Permission to publish materials from the Circus Train Wreck Collection must be obtained from the Columbus State University Archives. Use of the following credit line for publication or exhibit is required:

Circus Train Wreck Photographs (SMC 124) Columbus State University Archives Columbus, Georgia