Historic Hood River
Circus Trouble
3-16-2015
Notes
Someone’s going to have to check out the August 26, 1943 newspaper at the library to fill in this story. It looks like the circus truck has run off the road making a real mess. Wild animals in the street?
I was a little surprised to see the circus continued through the war years. With limited fuel and limited manpower, it must have been difficult to continue to provide entertainment, though I suspect it was sorely needed.
Rawhyde
North side of State Street at about 11th??
Charlott
I agree this is on State Street….
Buzz
Not surprised the circus continued through the war years. They were an important part of our culture back in the day.
LMH
This from The Oregonian August 27, 1943.
Freed Monkeys Delight Youth
Hood River, Aug 26 (Special) – Monkeys scampered into trees and hid themselves to the delight of neighborhood children Thursday after a large circus truck and trailer went out of control on a steep graveled street and crashed a power pole. The outfit belonging to Arthur Brothers circus turned over.
While attendants coaxed the frolicking simians to return to captivity a pair of circus elephants righted truck and trailer. The driver and his companion were uninjured, but two trained dogs were crushed to death.
L.E.
Great find LMH!
Pretty much tells the story.
So the circus must have been up on the heights?
Gravel is terrible for skidding, so I bet those HR hills were about as bad in the summer as in the winter with snow. Surprised that driver and companion were uninjured.
Can you imagine watching elephants working on a HR street?
Jeffrey Bryant
We used to play in those same bushes on the north side of State Street at the Jackson house in the early 1960’s, and heard about the monkeys that got loose.
Arlen Sheldrake
As remember, the circus played up near the present swimming pool in the 1950s.
Jeffrey Bryant
From what I was told the circus truck tried to come straight down 12th Street instead of turning past Coe Primary. The bushes are at the bottom on the hill.
Bill Pattison
I recall the boys that changed the "circus route" sign at 12th & Eugene to show the route was to continue on north ending at State St. The statute of limitation has since expired.
Bill P
Ann Helm
That looks like where The Carl Harmon family lived. Not sure but sure looks familiar.
Don Gruber
This is 1100 State St. I live in the house in the background and this photo is in front of the neighbors house. The junipers seen in the photo are still there today.