Part 2

OK, he didn't get every detail right but for a news reporter, he didn't do too bad. You should be able to double click it to enlarge it.

Long time ago

Many of you know that the "America" was originally a telescoping tableau on the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1903. It was built by the Sebastin Wagon Works. In 1917, the telescoping portion was removed and the line above the portraits was added to the wagon's structure. Barnum & Bailey kept this wagon from 1903 to 1918 and then stored it at the Bridgeport winter quarters until 1927. It was then sold to George Christy who had Christy Bros. Circus. In 1934 it was sold to Jess Adkins and Zach Terrell for their new show, the Cole Bros. Circus. They used it in their parades from 1935 through 1938 and left the wagon in storage in 1939. The Steam Calliope was added in 1939 and the wagon went out on Parade again in 1940. From 1941 to 1945 it was again left in storage at the Louisville, Ky. winter quarters of the Cole show. From 1946 to 1950, it was back on the Cole Bros. Circus. The Cole show was going bust by then and it was sold in 1952 to Cleavor Brooks which is a steam and boiler company out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Cleavor Brooks kept it until 1959 when they donated it to the Circus World Museum. The wagon is 21 feet long, 10'9" tall and 8' wide weighing about 9 tons. The photo is a Universal Slide Company issue.

Jungleland 1959

Jungleland, located in the heart of film country in Thousand Oaks, California, provided many an animal for the film industry over the years. As you can see here, they also provided some wagons. As you look at these other photos you'll see the Whirling title covered over on the ticket wagon. A different movie title is on the parade wagon. There is a ton of interesting history out of Jungleland with the likes of Mabel Stark, Roger Smith, Dick McGraw, Pat Anthony and a slew of other great trainers.

Jungleland 1959

I don't recognize this wagon right off. Did it go to the Circus World Museum?

Jungeland 1959

I take it from the parked cars that this wagon was sitting out front of Jungeland.

Jungleland 1959

The grand old ticket wagon at use again. This photo was taken on the Cristiani Bros. Circus when the played Los Angeles, Ca. in 1959 near Jungeland.

Jungleland 1959

Many of you know that the wagons at Jungleland were old Circus wagons with most of them having a Hagenbeck-Wallace background. Many were then used in various movies being filmed in California. I have never heard of the title on this wagon. Maybe someone can gives us some insight as to which movie this was used in.

Jungeland 1959

This is the other side. I'm pretty sure this is the Arthur Bros. Charging Tiger at the Circus World Museum now. Any thoughts out there?

RBBB quarters 1955

This slide was in my dad's collection while I was going through them this weekend. After sending it to the Ringling Historian, Dom Yodice, Dom came back with this great answer.

The slide is actually from late 1955. On December 4,1955 Ringling actually played their winter quarters for the last stand of the season.

They set up the Big Top and Menagerie and midway along the main road through winter quarters. Along the outside of the midway they lined up many of the floats from the past seasons. That is the slide you have.

You can see going from left to right the Sleeping Beauty 1954, Trojan Horse 1952, Little Red School House 1953, Showboat 1953, Halloween 1955, Thanksgiving 1955, and the Airplane jeep 1952.

Best regards as always,
Dom

Fantastic Circus Posters

My good Friend, Hal Guyon, sent this to me last night. To see some really fine circus posters go to Buckles Blog at http://bucklesw.blogspot.com There has been some great discussion of the combination of show titles in the last two days.

Circus Get Together

This fine cage act and the Wallendas overhead came from Joe Yow. The arena was all made out of brass. A real nice looking piece. As a reminder, you can double click the image to enlarge them. The wagon models were absolutely beautiful. This photo is courtesy of Fred Heatley.

Circus Get together

Several of us got together at Hal Guyon's house in Columbia last weekend to share a day together talking circus, models, and history. Joe Yow brought in some models to display along with Hal's models already there while I had a few items from my Circus Store http://www.thecircusworld.com for sale. We enjoyed a trip past the State Fairgrounds as the SC State Fair was being set-up and went in search of what might be an original military ammo wagon still fully intact in a WWII hanger. Hal was going to try to track down a friend that knows a friend to see if he can get a couple photos. Fred Heatley, Glenn Evans, Carter Siegling, Joe Yow, Host Hal Guyon, and myself all enjoyed the day. Above is a Fred Heatley photo.

Malloy Circus

My dad found these banners in an antique shop in central Ohio 30 years ago. I've never found anything out about the show other than the couple papers he got with these banners. There is a fourth banner also not shown. Dad built the Georgia buggy and it served us well for many years with us having a tent with wooden stakes.

RBBB Venice Quarters

This slide was imprinted July 1961. Notice the RBBB ticket wagon in the bottom right hand corner.

Olson Shows # 1

Getting back to some good stuff, these four photos were taken of the Olson Shows Carnival in Toledo, Ohio in 1968 by my dad.

Olson Shows # 2

Olson Shows # 3

Olson Shows # 4

Great news!

I got a phone call tonight saying the Police have arrested two teenagers in the Circus World Museum Vandalism case. I sure hope these two are all that was involved. I put a photo of the burned building on my Circus Store news page http://www.thecircusworld.com/blog

More News!

I talked with Jim Peterson earlier this week. He hopes to be up and working again this week.

My Editor got caught in Hurricane Gustav. 17 days later she got power restored, internet a day later, but just got her telephane back on about a week a go in Springfield, Louisiana.

I've been talking with Circus Friend P.J. Holmes in Texas who is still cleaning up from Hurricane Ike. He was kind enough to send me this link to a ton of photos being taken by the people that live in Texas. Thanks P.J.

http://www.tpicks.com/pictures%20people%20have%20sent%20me.html