Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Ortonville, Iowa

Here's a very nice article sent to me by Mike Naughton about the Orton Family and Ortonville, Iowa. Has some very nice pictures. Courtesy of the DesMoines Register.


Town hosted traveling circus
By CHRISTINA SMITH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

July 5, 2006


The intersection of U.S. Highway 6 and Dallas County road R-16 a few miles west of Waukee boasts commercial buildings and cornfields.

There isn't a home, gas station, cafe or post office. But, had you been at the intersection 90 years ago, you would have seen homes and been able to buy a loaf of bread or a cup of coffee. You would have also seen lions, leopards, monkeys, flying acrobats and a 100-foot swing pole in the town of Ortonville.

Ortonville, located about four miles west of Waukee, was named after Hiram Orton, who moved to the site in 1866. But Ortonville wasn't just any town — it was home to a traveling circus show that started in 1852.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

Posted by Buckles at 7/05/2006 07:40:00 PM

3 comments:

24-HOUR-MAN said...

That's a great story, it's such a shame to see things like that lost forever, what price progress.

05 July, 2006 21:37
Anonymous said...

Very interesting article about your kinfolks, Buckles. I lived in Des Moines for a time but was only vaguely aware of Ortonville.
I did know of the Fred Buchanan winterquarters just east of Granger and drove past that site many times. In fact, in the Granger area is (or was) a ballroom called Lake Robbins. Guessing it's just coincidental to the show that wintered nearby (Robbins Bros.)

05 July, 2006 22:21
Unknown said...

I'm Ken Orton Great Great Grandson of Hiram Orton. If anyone can provide more info of the family circus, I plan on visiting there in October and see some of the sights the circus travel.My dad was Marion Orton. Thanks Ken

23 September, 2020 23:45

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