Connecticut Museum to remember Hartford Circus Fire with lecture event

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 30, 2024) – As we near the 80th anniversary of the Hartford Circus Fire, the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History will remember a disaster that caused the loss of 168 lives and injured hundreds more. Don Massey, author of A Matter of Degree: The Hartford Circus Fire and the Mystery of Little Miss 1565, and former Hartford Fire Chief Charles Teale will lead a presentation followed by a conversation moderated by the Connecticut Museum’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Strategist Ilene Frank. The evening will feature artifacts from the Connecticut Museum collection displayed exclusively for attendees.

The Hartford Circus Fire occurred on July 6, 1944, when Hartford residents headed out for what appeared to be a joyful day at the Circus. When suddenly during a performance the circus tents rapidly caught ablaze, leading to panic and massive devastation. “It’s about remembering the lives of those lost, but also understanding why this event had such an effect on our collective memory, even eighty years later,” Natalie Belanger, Public Programs Manager at the Connecticut Museum said. “We’re thrilled to have such authoritative voices on the topic joining us to speak about it.”

Don Massey’s book documents the arson investigator Rick Davey’s identification of one of the fire’s unclaimed victims as Eleanor Emily Cook, and Chief Charles Teale co-chaired the Hartford Circus Fire Memorial Foundation, which created a memorial to the victims on the site of the fire on Barbour Street.

The 2024 Woodward Lecture Series examines the impact and legacy of disasters, both natural and human-made, in our state’s history. Hartford Circus Fire Remembered will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 6 pm. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 Connecticut Museum general members, and free for Connecticut Museum NARM-level and above members. Tickets may be purchased online at connecticutmuseum.org.

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About the Connecticut Museum:

The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1825 as the state’s premier historical society, and also serves as the state’s home for folk and traditional arts support since 2015. Located at One Elizabeth Street in Hartford, the Museum houses exhibitions, a library, a research center, and a vast collection that includes more than 4 million manuscripts, graphics, objects, and artifacts. The Museum strives to cultivate deep understanding of the history and culture of Connecticut, and its role in the United States and the world, through reflection of the past, active engagement with the present, and innovation for the future through our collections, research, educational programs, and exhibitions. To learn more about our ongoing exhibitions and programs, please visit: connecticutmuseum.org.