Hartford, Connecticut
350 Barbour Street (behind Wish Elementary School)
GPS coordinates: 41.794954,-72.674451
Take a photo of your rally flag with the above image.

Mentioned in the recent movie, "Water for Elephants," this chilling memorial is for the men, women and children who died in what is called the worst tent fire in America’s history. “The day the clowns cried” was July 6, 1944, in the midst of World War II and when more than 8,000 people came to Hartford to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. A small fire broke out on a side panel of the Big Top, but it quickly spread to the rest of the canvas that had been waterproofed with a mixture of gasoline and paraffin. In less than 10 minutes, 168 locals were killed and hundreds more injured. The memorial is located on the site of the center pole of the Big Top tent.

"Little Miss 1565" was a little blonde girl in a white dress whose body was eerily preserved and went unidentified for almost 50 years (controversy still exists as to the validity of that identification), despite being featured in newspapers and magazines across the country.

A picture taken of circus clown Emmett Kelly (Weary Willie) in costume carrying water buckets trying to put out the fire gave rise to the phrase describing the tragedy, and led him to paint a single tear on his face in all subsequent performances. Since then, other clowns use the single tear in honor of Kelly.

Also in the area, related to the fire: Twelve miles away, at the main fire house in Simsbury is a memorial to that town’s first firefighter death. Frank Bradley helped form the Simsbury Fire Company which began operation only four days earlier, and with his wife, died trying to rescue circus attendees, including their two young daughters.

Advisory: This memorial is in a sketchy neighborhood and isn't illuminated, so use caution if visiting after dusk.

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Tour of Honor-New England is sponsored by Jim Hatch of Simsbury, CT.