It's been 83 years since the end of an era for the Cole Brothers Circus in Rochester.
A fire that was started by a spark from an electrical shortage destroyed their winter headquarters on February 20, 1940. By the time the first report of the fire had been made by a railroad tower man who had witnessed sparks coming from the circus paint room, it was too late. Despite efforts by firefighters battling the intense blaze for hours, the fire would end in tragedy, with a total loss for the circus and a brutal ending for many of the animals trapped inside.
A total of six lions, two tigers, two black leopards, two zebras, several monkeys and antelopes, two llamas and a cow were among the 100 wild animals to lose their lives. Already in distress by the time rescuers got on scene, the handlers could not risk letting the animals loose, who were maddened by injuries from the fire. Graphic details of the events were reported in the Indianapolis News, claiming the sounds of howls and screams from the burning animals could be heard over the many fire truck sirens at the scene.
The entire town of Rochester was said to be filled with thick smoke that evening. In addition, around 300 horses, 12 camels, 11 elephants and 20 mules, ponies and monkeys were set free to escape the fire, roaming the streets until recaptured. Up to a year later, monkeys were still being found on the islands of Lake Manitou.
Although no people were killed in the fire, much of the circus equipment had been destroyed, including many cages, twenty parade wagons and five tractors, resulting in a loss of $150,000. Following the fire, the Cole Bros Circus would still perform one last summer on the rails before closing for good. Despite hopes and promises from the owners, the circus would never return to town or rebuild from the rubble of the tragedy.
Prior to the fire, Rochester had been the home base for the circus, after Cole Bros Circus came to town in 1934. Purchasing some empty buildings northeast of town, near what is now Fourth Street, the convenient location sat at the Erie and Nickel Plate railroad crossing. At the time, the Cole Bros Circus had been one of the last traditional circuses to use big top tents and travel the rails across the country during the summer months.
For six years performers, animals and their handlers spent their winter months in Rochester. Each year an annual parade would line the streets, showing locals their animals, clowns and stage acts before leaving for Chicago and travelling as far as Kansas and Nebraska to perform. Although all that's left of the circus in Rochester is an exhibit at the Fulton County Historical Society Museum, the tragic evening would burn a memory in the small town long after the blaze was put out.
(Photo of Jumbo II taken at the Cole Bros Circus at the Rochester winter headquarters 1935, found at the circusblog.com)
