By Jessica Gorman

Our local history includes many myths and legends. Stories have been handed down from one generation to the next until the facts got a little confused along the way. It’s somewhat ironic that what would seem to be a far-fetched story is actually true. Yes, there really is an elephant buried in Springhill. Her name was Ellie.

On 17 April 1984, the Roller Brothers Circus was in town. Ellie had been with this particular circus for about two years. It was her job to raise the tent. At around 11:30 that morning, Ellie and her trainer, Tim Maerkisch, were working to raise the center pole when the pole came into contact with a power line. Electricity traveled through the chains being used to hoist the pole. Both Ellie and Maerkisch were electrocuted. While initially reported that Maerkisch died, in part, due to injuries received when Ellie fell on him, it was later determined that his cause of death was strictly electrocution. Mickey King, another circus worker, was also injured in the accident. He sustained burns to his back and legs and was airlifted to a Little Rock hospital. King had been with the circus about a year and planned to return upon his recovery.

The news coverage of the accident seemed to focus more on Ellie with little mention of her trainer who lost his life in the accident. In fact, his name wasn’t even reported correctly. Newspapers identified him as Tim Mericash. It took a few extra minutes to find any information about him because of the misspelling of his name. He was 23 years old, a native of Norwalk, Ohio, and had worked as an elephant trainer for several years. He was previously employed by the Hoxie Brothers Circus whose more than 40-year run had come to an end the year before. A fellow circus worker had this to say about him, “He had a beautiful style as a trainer and performer—a great future.” Multiple photographs of Maerkisch working with the elephants, putting up the tent or taking it down, appear in various newspapers from Florida to New Jersey. On one occasion, in regards to the circus he says, “I wouldn’t leave it for nothing…”

As for Ellie, burial of an elephant doesn’t present many options. It was clear that she would have to be buried near where she fell. The Health Department was called to ensure all the necessary requirements were met and Ellie was buried there at the South Main Mall in Springhill.

While they grieved the loss of two members of their circus family, workers continued with preparations for the evening’s show, and in true show biz fashion, the show went on.

(Jessica Gorman is Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Webster Parish Historian, and an avid genealogist.)