In July of 1972, the Clark and Walters Circus was making its way through the Midwest when it stopped in the Mississippi River town of Oquawka, Illinois. Since the circus industry was dying, the outfit had liquidated most of its assets, except for its star attraction, an Asian elephant named Norma Jean. During a stormy overnight stay, Norma Jean spent the evening chained to a tree to prevent her from wandering off, which had happened once before in Indiana. When Norma Jean’s handler, Possum Red, went to check on her, a bolt of lightning struck the tree she was tethered to, throwing Possum Red back 30 feet. When he rose from the ground, he found Norma Jean’s 6,500-pound body slumped over.
The traveling circus decided to bury Norma Jean where she died. A 12-foot grave was dug next to her, and she was rolled in, right there in the town square. Norma Jean’s death was not covered by insurance, and within the year, the Clark and Walters Circus closed without its beloved main attraction.
Years later, local druggist and animal lover Wade Meloan marked Norma Jean’s grave with a picket fence and hand-painted sign. He then raised money to have a monument built featuring a rock wall, a glass case of memorabilia, and an elephant statue.
