The Hammond Circus Train Wreck kills 86 and injures 127 near Hammond, Indiana.

The Hammond Circus Train Wreck occurred in the early hours of June 22, 1918, near Hammond, Indiana, and remains one of the deadliest train disasters in U.S. history. A train carrying performers and workers from the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was stopped on the tracks for repairs when an empty troop train, operated by a crew who had reportedly fallen asleep, crashed into the rear cars at full speed. The wooden circus train cars, illuminated by oil lamps and filled with sleeping performers, were destroyed in a fiery collision that killed 86 people and injured more than 100 others. Most of the victims were circus performers and roustabouts, making the impact especially devastating to the traveling show.

The wreck had a massive ripple effect. Not only was the circus forced to cancel shows, but the Hagenbeck-Wallace company also had to rebuild its roster of performers almost from scratch. Many victims could not be identified and were buried in a mass grave at Showmen’s Rest in Chicago’s Woodlawn Cemetery—an area now marked by gravestones with poignant labels like “Unknown Male” and “Baldy.” The tragedy led to increased scrutiny of railway safety and played a role in pushing for the replacement of wooden railcars with steel ones, which were far more fire-resistant. While the circus did manage to continue its tour, the memory of the crash haunted the industry for years.