Mt. Olivet Cemetery - Showman's Rest

HUGO

THERE'S NOTHING LEFT BUT EMPTY POPCORN SACKS AND WAGON TRACKS---THE CIRCUS IS GONE. - Etching on the gravestone of Ted Bowman

Before the internet was a thing, there were rumors of a circus cemetery in southern Oklahoma. At the time, cemeteries were not on my list of interesting things to go see so I forgot about it. When I started looking for interesting things to go see in Oklahoma, I happened upon the Showman's Rest in Hugo. Now that I quite enjoy lurking in cemeteries, I knew I had to go see it. Hugo isn't exactly around the corner from Oklahoma City, I had to plan a trip. Luckily, my wife had business in Hugo, so I conveniently tagged along. She took care of her thing and I went roaming. I first hit the Frisco Depot Museum. But I also finally got the opportunity to see the "circus cemetery."

I always have the utmost reverence when I visit a cemetery. After all that's where our ancesters are laid to rest. It deserves to remain peaceful. Not that I haven't played music when I visited graves like the musician Jesse Davis. I played his music quietly on my phone while I sat next to his marker. But I always make sure I don't disturb others with my way of honoring the dead. While I didn't actually play music when I was walking around the Showman's Rest, circus music WAS playing in my head!

As I walked row by row, seeing the headstones of acrobats, clowns, trainers, and business people, I was struck with a feeling unlike any other I've had in a cemetery. There was, of course, a somberness but there was also a sense of joy. Yes, these wonderful folks had passed on. But they had lived the lives that so many have dreamt of, being a lion tamer or an acrobat on the flying trapese. Join the circus and leave your boring life behind. I wanted to do exactly that when I was a kid. So I read everything I could about circuses. I discovered that there was an exessive amount of hard work leading up to the big show. It became less of a desirous line of work for me. Plus I'm not very good on a tightrope. HA! But it didn't stop me from dreaming about the circus. I was almost thirty the first time I saw an actual three ring circus in person. I felt like I was 8 years old for a couple of hours. Just magical.

If you're ever in the southeastern part of Oklahoma with a few minutes to spare, go check out the Showman's Rest part of the Mt. Olivet Cemetery. See if you pick up on the same feeling I did, the melancholy/joy dichotomy. I also discovered that rodeo star, Lane Frost, was buried there as well, so I walked around looking for his marker as well. Found it with small plastic cows, horseshoes, and other things left for him. It was cool to see. The music in my head appropriately went from circus music to Chris LeDoux's song "Hooked on an 8 Second Ride."

1198 S 8th St, Hugo, OK

580-326-9263