Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Al Jazirah Al Hamra Heritage Village
Complejo Cultural Fábrica Imbabura
Guptill's Arena
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Stock up on picnic supplies with a side of history.
Horton Bay General Store
Take some of Michigan’s produce home with you.
American Spoon
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
Though they’re protected inside the park, wolves can be killed when they cross its borders.
Wolves Have a Bad Reputation. One Yellowstone Naturalist Is Trying to Fix It.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Montana Dillon Old Pitt's Burial Site

Old Pitt's Burial Site

The famous 102-year-old circus elephant was struck and killed by lightning.

Dillon, Montana

Added By
elishafoster
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The burial site of Old Pitt, the elephant.   elishafoster / Atlas Obscura User
Old Pitt’s grave.   elishafoster / Atlas Obscura User
The Cole Brothers Circus frequently featured elephants.   Los Angeles Daily News/Public domain
  cyndilengyel / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In August of 1943, Old Pitt, an elephant who was part of the Cole Brothers Circus, was struck and killed by lightning when a severe storm hit during a matinee performance in Dillon, Montana. The reportedly 102-year-old elephant was buried right where she died.

Old Pitt spent much of her adult life in the circus. For many years, she toured with her longtime owner John Robinson and his large herd of circus elephants in Robinson’s Great Show. They often performed military-themed acts, earning them the nickname “The Military Elephants.” When Robinson hit financial troubles, he sold most of his stock to the Ringling Brothers Circus. He kept four of his most senior elephants, including Old Pitt.

The remaining elephants occasionally still performed in circus tours, though they spent the majority of their time roaming the grounds of his Ohio farm. When Robinson died, his wife gave Old Pitt, the last of his famed elephants, to the Cole Brothers Circus. She was with them for just a year until her unexpected death.

The circus members gave her a proper burial at the Beaverhead County Fairgrounds and commissioned the granite grave marker. Seventy years later, visitors can still visit her burial site.

Related Tags

Elephants Gravestones Death Memorials Circus Lightning Burial Places Animals Graves

Community Contributors

Added By

elishafoster

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe, cyndilengyel

  • Kerry Wolfe
  • cyndilengyel

Published

August 22, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Old Pitt's Burial Site
657-1199 S Railroad Ave
Dillon, Montana
United States
45.213689, -112.643831
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Historic Virginia City

Virginia City, Montana

miles away

Silver Bow Twin Drive-In

Butte, Montana

miles away

Ringing Rocks of Montana

Whitehall, Montana

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Montana

Montana

United States

Places 66
Stories 20

Nearby Places

Historic Virginia City

Virginia City, Montana

miles away

Silver Bow Twin Drive-In

Butte, Montana

miles away

Ringing Rocks of Montana

Whitehall, Montana

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Montana

Montana

United States

Places 66
Stories 20

Related Places

  • Blocher Memorial.

    Buffalo, New York

    Blocher Memorial

    An elaborate memorial to a man local legend says died of a broken heart.

  • Shep’s final resting place.

    Broomfield, Colorado

    Shep the Broomfield Turnpike Dog

    The final resting spot of the Colorado Transportation Department's beloved unofficial mascot.

  • The monument stands in a lonely cemetery.

    Wahpeton, North Dakota

    Tent Pole Monument to Circus Dead

    On the windswept Dakota plains there is a memorial to circus workers who were struck down by lightning.

  • Oquawka, Illinois

    Norma Jean Circus Elephant Monument

    A memorial dedicated to a traveling circus elephant killed by a lightning strike in 1972.

  • The Griffin Monument

    Silver Plume, Colorado

    Griffin Monument

    This cliffside memorial marks the final resting place of a lonely violinist.

  • Framingham, Massachusetts

    Graves of John Cloyce & Abraham Rice

    In 1777, two men were killed after being struck by lightning at the same time.

  • Charles F. Mills Grave Bell

    Thunderbolt, Georgia

    Charles F. Mills Grave Bell

    A 19th-century cemetery device to ensure that the prematurely buried would be "saved by the bell."

  • Moultrie, Georgia

    Nancy the Elephant Tombstone Monument

    A life-sized baby elephant tombstone marks the grave of a circus owner at a country church in southern Georgia.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.