The Fall of 2007 outside the CWM train sheds.Monday, January 12, 2009
Flatcar # 8
The History of Flatcar # 8.
This flatcar is 70’ long and was originally built by the Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Company sometime between 1921 and 1924. It was built with a straight sided design unlike the normal Mt. Vernon drop down design. This was an attempt to re-create the success that that the Warren Tank Car Co. was having with their almost straight sided designed cars.
Although the original owner is unknown, the Mighty Sheesley Shows had it by 1930 and numbered it # 44. It remained there until 1944 when Pete Kortez and Mel Vaught bought the entire show and re-titled it as the North American Exposition. They lasted one season. Cetlin and Wilson decided to buy their own train at last and picked up the entire North American Exposition for a start. Once this flatcar was on Cetlin and Wilson it retained # 44 until they went out of business in 1968.
This flatcar was obtained on loan through Royal American Shows on April 27, 1971. They had bought it from the defunct Cetlin and Wilson shows when they closed in Savannah, Ga. in 1968. Royal American Shows never used it.
In 1985, it was decided to use this flatcar on the parade train. It was painted White with Red Letters and yellow Shading being titled Hagenbeck Wallace Circus. It was given the #8 on the parade train and used for the 1985, 1986, and 1987 routes.
It was never used again. On Sept. 11, 2003, the Sedlmyer family donated this flatcar to the CWM to keep it permanently in the Museum’s collection. It is considered to be the oldest show business flatcar still in existence. As of Sept. 2007, it was still on a spur track outside the Train Sheds.
This flatcar is 70’ long and was originally built by the Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Company sometime between 1921 and 1924. It was built with a straight sided design unlike the normal Mt. Vernon drop down design. This was an attempt to re-create the success that that the Warren Tank Car Co. was having with their almost straight sided designed cars.
Although the original owner is unknown, the Mighty Sheesley Shows had it by 1930 and numbered it # 44. It remained there until 1944 when Pete Kortez and Mel Vaught bought the entire show and re-titled it as the North American Exposition. They lasted one season. Cetlin and Wilson decided to buy their own train at last and picked up the entire North American Exposition for a start. Once this flatcar was on Cetlin and Wilson it retained # 44 until they went out of business in 1968.
This flatcar was obtained on loan through Royal American Shows on April 27, 1971. They had bought it from the defunct Cetlin and Wilson shows when they closed in Savannah, Ga. in 1968. Royal American Shows never used it.
In 1985, it was decided to use this flatcar on the parade train. It was painted White with Red Letters and yellow Shading being titled Hagenbeck Wallace Circus. It was given the #8 on the parade train and used for the 1985, 1986, and 1987 routes.
It was never used again. On Sept. 11, 2003, the Sedlmyer family donated this flatcar to the CWM to keep it permanently in the Museum’s collection. It is considered to be the oldest show business flatcar still in existence. As of Sept. 2007, it was still on a spur track outside the Train Sheds.
Friday, January 09, 2009
2009 will be great in Wisconsin
The 2009 Circus season will be fantastic in Wisconsin this year. Kicking things off is the great Winter Mixer on Jan. 17th. ( There is an entry form a few posts down ) Last year was a great success. The Model Builders show coming up in June will be featured at the old Ringling Wagon shops right across the street from the Circus World Musuem where things will be at a fevered pace as the final preparations for the Great Circus Parade in Milwaukee are being completed. The Kelly-Miller Circus comes to the Milwaukee lakefront as the parade wagons start arriving for four days of fun, action and excitement. The Circus Historical Society Convention will be held in Milwaukee during the parade with many circus history presentations, the huge circus auction and banquet and of course the parade. The Circus World Museum Library is beginning the work on presenting the glass negatives in their collection on the internet later this year. How exciting that is going to be. And if all of this isn't enough to get you excited about being in Wisconsin in 2009, Jim Peterson has put in a huge request for more snow to keep the skiers happy until at least April. Way to go Jim!Thursday, January 08, 2009
Cetlin & Wilson ( Bill Hall Photo )
With Barney Corey as a new owner came a dramatic difference in the paint schemes. many contributed this to Mrs. Corey. You'll see a big change compared to the great photos on Dick Dykes Blog.
Cetlin & Wilson ( Bill Hall Photo )
This was taken in 1966 in Richmond. The White and Blue trucks with the red stripe were the old Post Office vans they bought. They were so long, they kept ripping the bottom out going up and down the train runs and eventually junked them all.
The year that never happened
The Cetlin and Wilson Shows came to a lackluster end in Savannah, Ga. in 1968. Amazingly, the West Virginia State Fair still advertised them being at their Fair in 1969.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Cetlin & Wilson postcards
If you have any interest in Carnivals, you may want to visit Dick Dykes Blog. He has one of the finest groups of color photos from the Cetlin and Wilson Shows that I have ever seen. Go to http://dick-dykes.blogspot.com/ In an effort to simply compliment this fine display, I offer you a few other Cetlin and Wilson memories. I am not sure how many postcards that Cetlin & Wilson issued and even if they were all in the same year or various years. Maybe someone can help. The first two are dated 1944. These are all copies of copies. None are original postcards.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Cetlin & Wilson Shows # 1
Have you seen Dick Dykes blog today? He has an amazing assortment of Cetlin & Wilson Shows photos to see. Try this. http://dick-dykes.blogspot.com/ So since Dick started this, I just thought I would add a few more pieces over the next couple days to augment his postings. ( I found this poster on eBay a couple years ago. ) This would have been from 1952.Cetlin & Wilson # 2
Having documented the routes as much as possible, this poster would have been used in 1952. ( I found this for sale on eBay a couple years ago. )
Cetlin & Wilson Shows # 3
Jack Wilson and Izzy Cetlin teamed up to own and operate one of the largest railroad carnivals in this country for years. I had the great pleasure of being able to write a detailed history of the show that was published in many installments in the Carnival Midway with guidance from my good friend Robert Spivey who lives in Petersburg, Va. which was home the Cetlin and Wilson Shows for years.
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