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Circus World Museum Baraboo Wisconsin

Circus World Museum Opens For Walking Tours July 1

Circus World Museum In Baraboo Wisconsin Tour July 11 2019

Circus World Museum in Baraboo opened July 1 for guided walking tours of historic Ringlingville and the Deppe Wagon Pavilion after being closed throughout its spring and early summer seasons due to COVID-19. Tours of no more than 10 guests each are being offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Reservations and prepayment are required, while face masks are recommended.

Treasures Challenges And Mysteries Uncovered In Baraboo

By: Jay Rath– October 7, 2021 6:45 am

Ringling Bros. Circus is putting half a million dollars into restoration. It is badly needed. | Jay Rath

The mystery-laden offices of Baraboos fabulous Ringling Bros. Circus just won $500,000 for restoration and preservation. Thats the good news.

The bad news, and first of several mysteries: Why does a modest, house-like structure a National Historic Landmark require the lofty sum of $500,000 for repair? Its interior is only 1,680 square feet, not counting the porch, cellar or another mystery the circus attached 240-square-foot vault.

To save the 1901 Ringling Bros. Office from irreparable damage, efforts are needed to stabilize its rapidly deteriorating foundation and to rectify significant structural damage caused by water, mold, and age, according to theWisconsin Historical Societys recentannouncement of its Save Americas Treasures Grant, administered by the U.S. National Park Service.

Without swift action to save one ofCircus Worlds most historically significant buildings, a piece of circus history will be lost, announced Angela Titus, assistant deputy director and chief program officer for theWisconsin Historical Society, which owns and operates the 60-acre museum.

The entire project, matched by state contributions and private donations, is expected to cost $1.5 million, including an historic structures report, documenting every aspect of the seven surviving winter quarters buildings.

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A Glimpse Into Traveling Circus History

The Ringling Brothers started their traveling circus in Baraboo, WI in 1884 which quickly gained popularity and the business expanded into a massive railroad operation.

In 1907, they purchased Barnum and Baileys circus and continued to operate them as separate tours until WWI. At that time, they combined the two and marketed the performances as The Greatest Show on Earth. I can only imagine the energy and excitement in the air when the performers, elephants, gorillas, and props emerged from the trains.

During WWII business took a hit as railroad use was restricted due to government needs and a live show ended in a tragic fire in 1944.

Popularity of traveling circuses saw great decline in the 1950s with the growing television and movie industry.

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Circus Wagons At Circus World Museum Baraboo Wisconsin

Circus wagons at Circus World museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin
Contributor Names
Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer
Transparencies–color–1980-2010.
Notes
– Digital image produced by Carol M. Highsmith to represent her original film transparency some details may differ between the film and the digital images.
– Title, date, and keywords provided by the photographer.
– Credit line: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
– Gift and purchase Carol M. Highsmith 2011 .
– Forms part of the Selects Series in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive.
Medium
1 transparency : color 4 x 5 in. or smaller.
LC-HS503- 4715
Highsmith, Carol M., 1946- Carol M. Highsmith Archive.
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Digital Id
Library of Congress Control Number
2011633793
LC-DIG-highsm-15600 LC-HS503-4715
Rights Advisory
No known restrictions on publication.
Online Format

The Robert L Parkinson Library And Research Center

The Circus " NO SPIN ZONE" : Circus World Museum

The Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center is a research facility of the and its collection specializes in circuses, particularly those located in the U.S., and circus history. The collection includes materials such as rare photographs from 1850s to the present, posters, manuscripts, artifacts as well as books. It covers information sources approximately from 1793 to the present.

In 1991, the facility was named after Robert L. Parkinson, the director of the library for twenty six years.

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Weather Forecast For Circus World Museum Baraboo Wisconsin

Traveling to Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin?Here is your 6-day weather forecast in the area.Whether it is a warm weather destinations or cold climate dont forget to consider weather, while you pack your bags for this trip.Start your day when the sunrises at 1:29 PM and dont miss the sunset at 10:41 PM.Todays winds are traveling west-northwest at a speed of 14 MPH.The temperature feels like 3 with a humidity level of 65.Cloud coverage is 48 percent with 17.7 percent visibility.Todays UV index is 1 make sure to prepare properly.Make sure to plan your travel itinerary to match your travel weather forecast to make the most of your vacation with Reservations.com.

Explore Human Oddities Inside The Sideshow Tent

The Circus World sideshow lies beyond the towering banners painted with irresistibly lurid acts. The red-and-white stripped tent contains life-size statues of freak show staples such as the fat lady, bearded lady, snake charmer, sword swallower, tattooed woman, dog boy and Siamese twins Chang and Eng.

The Cardiff Giant Was Almost Discovered in Baraboo

A replica of the infamous Cardiff Giant pays tribute to the sideshows long history of gaffs, hoaxes and controversy. The idea was conceived in 1867 by a Baraboo man by the name of George Hull. He wanted to bury something near by, then return a year later to discover it, sensationalize it, and get rich exhibiting it around the country.

Hull moved to Chicago in 1868, where he hired a sculptor to carve a man, complete with large stone genitalia, out of a 12-foot long block of gypsum. The hoax was then carried out on the farm of his cousin William Newell in Cardiff, New York. Some experts believed it was a giant petrified man, others saw it for the fake it was. PT Barnum offered the men $50,000 for the giant. When they turned him down, he just made his own.

If you are bringing the kids, dont worrythis Cardiff Giant has been castrated.

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History Of Circus World

Circus World: 1940s Today

As the days of railroad circuses began to fade, John M. Kelley, personal attorney to the Ringling brothers, retired to Baraboo. He saw the necessity to preserve the history of the circus and joined with members of the Gollmar Family, who had their own circus and were first cousins to the Ringlings. They incorporated in 1954 as Circus World Museum and began raising funds to open a historical and educational facility at the original Ringling winter quarters. Following Circus Worlds opening on July 1, 1959, the site was deeded debt-free to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

In 1960, Charles Phillip Chappie Fox became director of the tiny Baraboo museum. Knowing there were scores of 19th and early 20th century circus wagons laying in disrepair across the United States and Europe, he championed the acquisition, preservation and restoration of these vehicles. With help from Ben Barkin, and sponsorship by the Schlitz Brewing Company, The Great Circus Parade® was established to both shine a spotlight on the wagons and Museum, plus fund acquisition and restoration of still more wagons.

Succeeding Circus World directors, ardent donors, and dedicated staff advanced Circus World by acquiring spectacular collections, original Ringling structures and land. Summer circus performances, along with other programs help interpret the colorful stories of the American circus bringing those glorious traditions of this art form to life.

See The Largest Collection Of Vintage Circus Wagons

Tour the Circus World Museum in Baraboo

When the circus rolled into town, the ornate wagons extravagantly carved with mythological creatures and fairy tale scenes in gold and silver paraded through the streets with performers and animals to entice the locals.

Of particular interest is the Snake Den, a glass-sided wagon built in 1902 which would carry the snake charmer with a huge, writhing python.

Circus World is home to two-thirds of the worlds remaining circus wagons, some of which were used in the 2011 film Water for Elephants. The on-site restoration center continually works to preserve the wagons and return them to their former glory.

Pocahontas saving the life of John Smith on the Pawnee Bill Wild West Bandwagon from 1903.

The 1905 Royal American Shows Gavioli Band Organ replicates the sound of an 80-piece band.

Ringling Bros. snake den circus wagon from 1902.

A goddess rides dolphins on the 1905 swan circus bandwagon.

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Colorful Parade Wagon At Circus World Museum Baraboo Wisconsin Digital File From Original

Colorful parade wagon at Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin
Contributor Names
Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer
Transparencies–color–1980-2010.
Notes
– Digital image produced by Carol M. Highsmith to represent her original film transparency some details may differ between the film and the digital images.
– Title, date, and keywords provided by the photographer.
– Credit line: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
– Gift and purchase Carol M. Highsmith 2011 .
– Forms part of the Selects Series in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive.
Medium
1 transparency : color 4 x 5 in. or smaller.
LC-HS503- 2196
Highsmith, Carol M., 1946- Carol M. Highsmith Archive.
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Digital Id
Library of Congress Control Number
2011634897
LC-DIG-highsm-16704 LC-HS503-2196
Rights Advisory
No known restrictions on publication.
Online Format

Referencesisbn Links Support Nwe Through Referral Fees

  • Albrecht, Ernest J. The New American Circus. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1995. ISBN 9780813013640.
  • Bonheur, Rosa. Circus World Museum Poster Collection. 1841.
  • Circus World Museum , and Charles Philip Fox. Horse Drawn Wagon Collection at the Circus World Museum. Baraboo, WI: Great Circus Parade, 1994.
  • Circus World Museum Film and Video Collection. 1906.
  • Fellows, Dexter William, and Andrew A. Freeman. This Way to the Big Show: The Life of Dexter Fellows. New York: Viking Press, 1936.
  • Croft-Cooke, Rupert, and Peter Cotes. Circus: A World History. New York: Macmillan Pub. Co, 1977.
  • Guernsey’s . The Circus World Collection of Important Circus Artifacts and Carrousel Carvings: Encompassing the Collections of Charles Philip Fox, Robert Clarke, and William Donahue, Seventh Regiment Armory, New York City, February 16 & 17, 1985. New York, N.Y.: Guernsey’s, 1985.
  • Museum of the City of New York. Circus Collection. 1821.
  • Ringling Museum of the Circus, and Mel Miller. Ringling Museum of the Circus The Collection and Its Relation to the History of the Circus. 1963.
  • Speaight, George. A History of the Circus. London: Tantivy Press, 1980. ISBN 9780498024702.
  • Stoddart, Helen. Rings of Desire: Circus History and Representation. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000. ISBN 9780719052347.

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Attractions At The Circus World Museum

Spring and Fall have limited attractions and reduced ticket prices. See the schedule, here.

Spring, Summer, and Fall

  • Dazzle at the artistry and variety of functions of the wagons in the Wagon Pavillion. Over 260 wagons are in their collection.
  • Explore the buildings where animal performers were cared for over the winter months, now filled with captivating exhibits.
  • View a documentary in the theater and hear first hand accounts from performers.
  • Stroll the grounds of Ringlingville, where the show would spend winters restoring their equipment and designing shows for the next season.
  • Overload your senses with the vast collection of circus memorabilia.

Memorial through Labor Day Special Programming

  • Elephant and Pony Rides

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