Wilderness Trail Region | PCA Zone 3
Big Mary's Stampede is a 167-mile drive through the mountains of Tennessee, commemorating the tragic tale of Mary, also known as Murderous Mary. The route winds through breathtaking mountains, including Lost Cove, Spivey Gap, Green Mountain, Unaka Mountain, Tiger Creek, Roan Mountain, and Carvers Gap. The drive ends in Erwin, where the Clinchfield Railroad Museum provides a fitting end to the eerie journey. Mary, a five-ton Asian elephant, performed in the Sparks World Famous Shows circus and was known for her tragic incident in Kingsport, Tennessee. In 1916, she killed a trainer, leading to her gruesome demise.
The circus owner, Charlie Sparks, decided to publicly execute Mary, deciding to hang her by the neck using a railcar-mounted industrial crane. On September 13, 1916, Mary was transported by rail to Erwin, Tennessee, where a crowd of over 2,500 people, including many children, gathered in the Clinchfield Railroad yard to witness the grim spectacle.
