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This article was written by Suzanne Sickler Ohl, an early member of the Tyrone Area Historical Society.  It was originally published in April 1993.

            Early in the morning of May 30, 1893 an event occurred at McCann’s Crossing, four miles northwest of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, which has remained an important part of Tyrone’s history.  On that site a train containing the Walter L. Main Circus was derailed and piled in a confused mass.  Five men were killed and seven were seriously injured.  Fifty-three horses plus other animals were killed.  A few animals escaped to the woods, later to be recaptured.  The escaped snakes never were found.  Fourteen railroad cars and twenty-five circus wagons were destroyed.

            As had been demonstrated on many other occasions the people of Tyrone demonstrated they had a heart when they came to the aid of those frightened circus people.  They provided rooms and hospitality to Mr. Walter Main and his people during the several months that went by before it was possible to assemble a new outfit and continue the tour.  However during the following week the big circus tents were erected in Conrad’s Park on E. 12^th Street with the horses and other large animals being housed in the 150-horse Sheridan Armory adjacent to the Park.  Many of the performers were guests at the nearby Empire House.  During that weekend the military circus band played a concert at St. Matthew’s Catholic School hall and between innings at the baseball game at the Athletic Field.  A real spirit of comradeship existed between Tyrone and the circus people.

            The two circus employees who were killed were buried in Grandview Cemetery in Tyrone.  Each succeeding year whenever a circus would pass through or appear in Tyrone, the circus troupe would hold a memorial service at the grave site.

            On June 23, 1975 a memorial plaque was dedicated at the McCann’s Crossing wreck site to commemorate one of the greatest circus wrecks in world history.  About one hundred Tyrone area people gathered for the occasion.  On the monument plaque was inscribed a brief description of the circus wreck and the names of the people involved in the memorial project.

            In honor of the 100^th anniversary of the Walter L. Main Circus Wreck [in 1993], the Tyrone Area Historical Society had a special meeting featuring Cummins McNitt.  Chairperson for the meeting was Mrs. Susie Lehner O’Brien.  She is the great niece of Hannah Friday, the lady who escaped unharmed when a frightened Bengal tiger from the circus wreck jumped on the back of the cow she was milking and killed it.  Mrs. O’Brien lives near the wreck site and maintains an extensive scrapbook dealing with the accident.  Her family has a collection of horseshoes, animal bones, circus wagon decorations, and other memorabilia found nearby.