In 1916, a Small Tennessee Town Hanged an Elephant to Death
Hung? Hanged? Anyways, here’s what happened.
My grandma used to collect these dishes called Blue Ridge. It was a type of pottery known for its glaze techniques and designs. The brand was established out of a small Tennesee town called Erwin.
Every year, we would get up early, grab a quick biscuit at the local shop and head out to Erwin. You see, the town known for its pottery had a pottery convention that usually coincided with another town favorite, the Apple Festival. It was always a great time filled with apple butter on toast, grabbing a few new dishes, and spending time with my grandparents.
A few years later I was listening to NPR and among the static, I heard the broadcaster mention “Erwin, Tennessee.” I cranked up the volume and what I heard next had nothing to do with pottery or apples. Apparently, Erwin Tennessee was known for something else — something sinister. In 1916, the town collectively conspired to kill an elephant by hanging.
When the circus comes to town
Driving through Erwin, Tennessee is nothing special. It could be the poster child for Small Town USA because it truly is just a tiny town of maybe 6,000 residents within its limits. Erwin was incorporated as a town in 1891…
