There were a lot of kids that wished for a train for Christmas. 

I still do.

 

For those of you not from the Chesterfield County area, Cheraw is the Birthplace of Dizzy Gillespie, American Jazz Legend.

 

It was a "Hot" time in the city yesterday morning when entertainer, Mark Lippard, brought his fire eating, fire juggling, unicycling, stilt walking and balloon making show to downtown Cheraw for the Market on Market. A good time was had by all. Look for the market on Market the third Saturday of every month.

 

It's a big day here in Chesterfield County. School is out for the summer. It's the first time in the 29 years I have lived here that school got out before Memorial Day.

 

My Grandson used Google Earth to zoom in on Cedar Point last night. Surprising to me was the roller coasters were labeled on the map.

 

 

I wrote a book a few years ago I called "America's Elephants." I never had the money to have a printed version so it has always been available as an e-Book through my website and through Amazon.com. Little did I know how things would change so drastically in just a few short years.

It's available at www.thecircusworld.com

As many of you know, I am deeply involved with the Circus Historical Society. Having been the Secretary for the last eight years, and the Treasurer for the last four years, I've gotten to know a lot of good friends over the years that I have never met in some cases. I've been producing our Newsletter, "News and Views" for seven years now. I keep the Facebook page and Group going as well as building the newly created companion website www.circuswagons.org  The last article I had written was just published in the first issue of Bandwagon this year. It's all about the elephants that were on the Mills Bros. Circus.

 

 

 Cedar Point opens for the summer season today. Go get your thrills on!

 

Staging The Great Circus Parade by Jim and Donna Peterson

I received a notice from Amazon yesterday that my pre-ordered copy of this great book will be arriving at our doorsteps the last week of May. I can't wait to see it.

 

 

While on Circus Kirk in 1974, my generally useful status gave me the opportunity to be a performer, play in the band, be an animal trainer, stake driver, truck driver and cook. Routine stuff, actually!

 

Would anyone have any color pictures of the RBBB ammo cages they would be willing to share with me? I'm doing a major study of them for the Circus Wagons website.

 

Dammit, why won't this blogger work anymore?

This is why I quit doing this a year ago. Now it's doing it again.

As many of you know, things don't always go the way they used too. Working the Fairs and sleeping in the back of the truck was a normal way of life. Now the old bones don't like to do much moving at all anymore. It was a ball while it lasted. Making the redwood signs was a lot of fun.

 

 

The summer season is just about upon us once again. That means it's time for another chapter of "As the Stomach Turns" at your local amusement Park. Have a ball!

 

How's this for a great super market display?

 

 

Well, the weekend is over, the cotton candy and sno-kones have been sold and consumed and everything is put away, once again. Let's do it again sometime.

 

Back in 2010, my daughter was introducing me to a thing called " selfies" Who knew that almost everyone would be doing it sooner or later.

 

P.T. Barnum Says . .

Our first outing of the season is coming up this Saturday and the weather looks to be beautiful. Hot Dog! No wait that's not right . . . Sno-Kones, get your Cotton Candy!

 

One thing that has always grabbed my attention is how the same ride is called something different every where you go. If you go to Cedar Point, this ride is called the Corkscrew. At Carowinds in South Carolina, it's called the Carolina Cyclone. What is it called at the amusement Park you go to?

 

 

For all of us growing up in Ohio, Cedar Point, was a household word. In the 1960s and 1970s, a lot of the park was owned by others paying a stipend to Cedar Point to be there. The Fascination game was owned by our good friends Clara and Ed Starr who lived out on the Chausee. Many of you remember Berardi's had the French Fry Stands. The Kiddieland area was also owned by good friends of my folks, Thelma and Leonard Jefferson. Thelma and Leonard bought the State Theater after their Cedar Point days. How ironic that I would then be a leasee at Cedar Point in the 1980s on Frontier Trail with our woodworking for several years.

The huge Circus Historical Society Convention is planned for October 12th to 15th in Sarasota, Florida this year. There will be four days of fun, action and excitement. In fact, you'll be so busy, you'll need a vacation when you get home. The best thing about a CHS Convention is that anyone can attend. You don't have to be a member. This is a great way to enjoy the people that love the circus as you do, and learn about the history of the circus from some of the leading circus historians in the world. Join us, you'll be glad you did.

 

Do you remember being at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio in the early 1960s when there was a double Ferris Wheel at the front of the Park? If you were there, you may remember you didn't have to pay a one price only to go there. The family could go take their kids and grandparents and have a wonderful day, or night. Not anymore. Let's burn you for all we can get out of you now.

 

If you want to exhibit at the 2016 CMB Annual Convention in Baraboo, you need to mail in your registration before April 30th. Get it in the mail, today!

 

Social media is a huge part of my life. Not necessarily for me but for others. I am the administrator for the Circus Historical Society Facebook Group and the Facebook Page, the Circus Model Builders Facebook Page and Group, The Col. Tim McCoy Ring # 124 of the Circus Model Builders Facebook Group, I just started the Peru Circus Winter Quarters Facebook Group, I post on my own Facebook page, this blog is finally working again and I'm the webmaster for the new Circus Historical Society website, Circus Wagons. ( www.circuswagons.org )

 

I guess I better get the grass cut. I've got some fun things to take care of.

 

 

Wow, after over a year of giving up hope with this blog, it actually worked yesterday for the first time in months. I have trued and tried only to give up and forget trying to post. The Marvels of modern technology! Here's hoping things will continue to work again. For those that haven't been here in a while ( like myself ) there's a lot of circus history tucked away in the posts from the past. Enjoy!

 

 

As many of you know, the Circus Model Builders website was hacked into on at least two occassions. We are in the process of rebuilding the entire site on a different server, with different behind the scenes enhancements. It may take another month or so before all the names and legalities get transferred from the old site to the new site. Stay Tuned.