Jonesboro, Georgia | November 4, 1949

Bill Eubanks (R) lost an election bet to O.I. Carroll, (L) when he agreed to ride in a hearse through the streets of Jonesboro.  Eubanks not only lost but rode through the streets entombed in a coffin and driven – in humility – through the county. When the ride was completed he was returned home, placed atop a coal-pile, “the darkest spot in the county” where his wife mourned his passing. A 50-car cortege participated in the mock funeral. Had Hulgen lost, Carrol would have been “buried”.  (ACME TELEPHOTO)

(And, told by the Atlanta Constitution) As a humorous sidelight to the hotly contested Clayton County Commissioner’s race yesterday, a mock funeral will be held today. O.I. Carroll, a Forest Park merchant, some months ago made a bet with Bill Eubanks, a fellow merchant, that if Candidate John C. Hulgan lost he’d ride in a hearse through the streets of Jonesboro. Eubanks agreed to do the same thing if Hulgan won. Today, according to Carroll, Eubanks will pay off.

“He’ll ride in an open coffin, in a hearse, from Forest Park to Jonesboro.” Some 50 automobiles of Hulgan supporters will comprise the cortege.

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Jonesboro, Georgia is also known for a few more interesting points of entertainment history. Many of the scenes from the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit were filmed in Jonesboro. Another 1977 movie, the obscure ‘In Hot Pursuit (aka The Polk County Pot Plane), was filmed in and around Jonesboro. Tara, the fictional plantation in Margaret Mitchell‘s novel Gone with the Wind was supposed to be located approximately five miles outside of Jonesboro, the closest town. “We Are Marshall” was briefly filmed at Tara Stadium in Jonesboro. The stadium was changed from green to light blue and light yellow for the scene. And, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s (pronounced ‘lĕh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd) album cover was photographed near the corner of Mill and Main streets.

Check back every Friday for another nugget of funereal miscellany!