On May 25 at 10 a.m. there will be a memorial service for the five people who lost their lives in the Walter L. Main Circus Train Wreck of 1893.
The service will be held at the wreck site in Vail four miles north of Tyrone (on the old Van Scoyoc road) near the Tyrone Sportsmen’s Club. This will be the fourth memorial service held since the one held in 1959 at the Grandview Cemetery with fans of the circus.
A monument was dedicated at the wreck site in May of 1975 with local dignitaries and residents present; a small tribute was performed at this time. This year’s memorial service is near the 112th anniversary of this wreck which occurred on May 30, 1893.
The Tyrone Area Historical Society and the Adam Forepaugh-Barry Lubin “Grandma” Tent No. 2 Circus Fans Association of America will be working jointly for this service.
The program will consist of a welcome to all present with an introduction of special guests. Some of the guests asked to be present for this event are representatives of the Tyrone Masonic Lodge No. 494, Tyrone Elks Lodge No. 212, Tyrone Sportsmen Club, Snyder Township office and local dignitaries. Guests will be asked for any remarks they may have.
Susie O’Brien will give a brief history of this memorial event of 1893.
Rev. Norman E. Huff will perform the memorial service with a special tribute.
The local Altoona/State College Circus Fans Association, headed by David P. Orr will place a memorial wreath at the monument and do a memorial planting of bushes this year.
This event is planned to be a yearly memorial service.
