Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Circus Fire Memorial to Be Dedicated July 6

A long-planned memorial to the victims of the Hartford Circus Fire will be dedicated on Wednesday, July 6 -- the 61st anniversary of the blaze, which killed 168 people.

The ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Fred D. Wish Elementary School, at 350 Barbour Street, in the city's north end. The memorial is located behind the school, which is approximately where the fire occurred. According to the Hartford Courant: "The memorial stretches along a dirt path, along which are six pedestals. The first pedestal provides information about the night of the fire. Each succeeding pedestal gives an account of what happened at a particular minute. The final pedestal tells visitors that they are within the perimeter of the big top." The bronze centerpiece of the memorial features the names of the victims.

The project is the work of the Hartford Circus Fire Memorial Foundation, which has its own website, at www.hartfordcircusfirememorial.com. Also note that the Foundation is collecting survivors' stories for a booklet.

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