Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Sarasoa Quarters 1956-57 #6


The smaller sign explains that "Gajasala" means elephant stable in India. I'm not sure when this structure was built, I'd say around 1930 and by the time I got there, as opposed by the baby elephant barn glimpsed in the background, it had definitely seen better days. The show having folded under canvas the previous summer it was obvious that what funds were available went into keeping the show alive.
By 1960 the site was abandoned and a new quarters established next to the Airport in nearby Venice,Fl. I wonder how many of you are aware that the Sparks Circus (James Edgar) also wintered at that Airport in the mid 1940's?

Posted by Buckles at 6/13/2006 06:33:00 AM

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Buckles, I enjoyed the spread on Sarasota winterquarters. I never visited Sarasota in those days and am pleased to see what it looked like.

13 June, 2006 07:46
Anonymous said...

what was the address of the Sarasota Ringling quarters
what stands on that property now

13 June, 2006 09:26
Bob Cline said...

Larry,
A couple of us toured the area at the CHS convention. There is one historical marker that you have to look hard to find and one of the old coach railcars in a trailer park that someone lives in. That's it. There was a piece of the horse stables but I believe that has been painstaking dismantled to be restored somewhere else.
Bob

13 June, 2006 10:48
Bob Cline said...

Buckles,
Did Ringling build the Venice Arena or did it exist already before they moved?
Bob

13 June, 2006 10:50
Buckles said...

I believe Concello had it built and used as much material from the old quarters as he could.
Seems to me that the first seats in the arena were taken off the seat wagons.

13 June, 2006 12:12
Anonymous said...

got an address or location
name of the trailer park ?

13 June, 2006 19:32
24-HOUR-MAN said...

If I'm not mistaken that trailer was called Circus City and was owned for many years by the Palacio Family, and is now owned by Jose Palacio. (unless he has given in to a developer who has his eye on it.

13 June, 2006 20:51
Bob Cline said...

Larry,
I rode along with CHS members Dom Yodice and Michael Burkhart
(sp?) We went east on Ringling Blvd out of downtown past the Robart's Arena. We turned left on Beneva Rd. As Bill just said the trailer park was called Circus City Trailer Park or something real close to that. It was on your right hand side. Just past the trailer park was Calliandra Drive to your right. Just as you turn on Calliandra Drive is the historical marker telling about the winter quarters.
Bob

13 June, 2006 21:16
Anonymous said...

Thank you bob,
I know where that is
was there a RR spur there at the time,Buckles mentioned being able to load them into the cars on cold nights

14 June, 2006 10:08

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