LENOX, Mass. — On Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., Lenox Library will host Searching for Columbus, a multi-media presentation given by Lenox resident Leo Mahoney.

 

According to a press release, in 1851, a traveling menagerie started its trek, leaving North Adams headed to Stockbridge. Disaster struck in Adams when Columbus the elephant fell through the wooden Center Street bridge, plunging into the rocky bed of the Hoosic River. Severely injured, the elephant was forced to continue the walk to Stockbridge. When Columbus got to Lenox he collapsed from pain and exhaustion. His handlers managed to get him into a near-by barn where he died 10 days later. Columbus was buried and then forgotten for 171 years. 

 

Many children who grew up in Lenox know about the legend of Columbus, though his exact burial site has remained a mystery. Schermerhorn Park, Church on the Hill, Canyon Ranch, and the Bishop Estate are a few of the locations on which the grave is said to be located. After years of research, Leo Mahoney is convinced he has identified the area where Columbus rests. His talk will cover the elephant's history as well as future plans to more succinctly locate the grave site. 

 

The presentation is free and open to the public and will take place in the main reading room of the Library, located at 18 Main Street, Lenox. Please visit https://lenoxlib.org or the Library's Facebook page for more information.