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All the United States Kansas Cedar Point Graves of Maud and Gus Wagner

Graves of Maud and Gus Wagner

Homestead Cemetery hold the remains of the United States' first known professional tattoo artists.

Cedar Point, Kansas

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Jenna Dolecek
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Maud Wagner’s grave.   Jenna Dolecek / Atlas Obscura User
Gus Wagner’s grave.   Jenna Dolecek / Atlas Obscura User
The cemetery.   Jenna Dolecek / Atlas Obscura User
Maud Wagner.   The Plaza Gallery, Los Angeles/public domain
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About

Like many interesting characters in the early 20th century, Maud Stevens and August "Gus" Wagner ran off to join the circus. Maud, originally an aerialist and contortionist, met Gus at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. At the time, Gus was heralded as the world’s most tattooed man. The two began dating, and Gus began teaching Maud the art of the hand poke tattoo.

And so, Maud Wagner became America's first known professional female tattoo artist, and the world’s most tattooed woman of the time. Since tattooed people were considered social outcasts in the early 1900s, they traveled with the circus and performed with Vaudeville shows. After leaving the circus, the two continued to travel, bringing their tattoo artistry throughout the country.

Their neighbors back in rural Kansas were not so excited about their inked neighbors. Those who used to live near the Wagners would tell their children scary stories about the circus freaks down the road to make them behave!

Gus died in 1941, after being struck by lightning. Maud died two decades later, in 1961. The two are buried in Homestead Cemetery in Cedar Point, Kansas.

If it weren't for a group of tattoo artists and enthusiasts, the Wagners' graves would have been lost. The grave sites were hard to track down and once found, the headstones were almost unreadable and hidden within bushes. But, thanks to the tattoo history-loving group, new headstones were commissioned in 2016 so anyone could easily find America's first known male and female professional tattoo artists.

Related Tags

Tattoos Cemeteries Burial Places Gravestones Circus Kickass Women Graves

Know Before You Go

The cemetery can only be accessed by a private vehicle, there is no public transportation as the area is very rural. The cemetery can be reached going from Cedar Point or Matfield Green, the two nearest towns. There are only dirt roads and limited phone reception.

Community Contributors

Added By

Jenna Dolecek

Edited By

SemiruralYeti

  • SemiruralYeti

Published

September 20, 2018

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Sources
  • https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144009612/maud-wagner
  • https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144009931/august-wagner
  • https://www.tattoolife.com/meet-maud-wagner/
  • https://mic.com/articles/145315/the-untold-story-of-the-badass-first-female-tattoo-artist-in-the-united-states#.eWVKrwe5a
Graves of Maud and Gus Wagner
90 Rd
Intersection of 90 Rd and J Rd, Cedar Point, Kansas 66843
Cedar Point, Kansas
United States
38.202052, -96.695727
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Nearby Places

Knute Rockne Memorial

Matfield Green, Kansas

miles away

Tallgrass Prairie Bison

Strong City, Kansas

miles away

All Veterans Memorial Park

Emporia, Kansas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kansas

Kansas

United States

Places 126
Stories 11

Nearby Places

Knute Rockne Memorial

Matfield Green, Kansas

miles away

Tallgrass Prairie Bison

Strong City, Kansas

miles away

All Veterans Memorial Park

Emporia, Kansas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kansas

Kansas

United States

Places 126
Stories 11

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