A friend had told her about this unusual little community that has a couple of claims to fame. Famous rodeo cowboys are laid to rest in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, including Lane Frost. The community is also home to several circuses that choose to winter there. Thus, the cemetery has a number of individuals who performed in the circus laid to rest in a section called the
Showmen's Rest.
On our drive home, we took a detour and stopped in Hugo and found it to be very quiet since it was Sunday. Like many small towns, it looked to be trying to keep a downtown alive. We stopped at the vistor center to pick up a map and then we made our way to the cemetery.
We visited Lane Frost's grave and that of his mentor, Freckles Brown.
The headstones in the Showmen's Rest were really amazing - intricate and personal.
The images on the headstones were an amazing tribute to the life and career of the entertainers - trick riders, elephant trainers, strong men, and every other personality you could imagine as part of a circus.
I loved some of the sayings like, "I would rather be in California." I also loved another stone that proclaimed that the person buried there "had more friends than Santa Claus."
This was a really unusual lifetime goal list item, but we were happy to help mom accomplish this goal. It was truly an interesting side trip.
1 comment:
Think I might have to add Hugo to my list!
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