| Buckles, I'm sending you a set of 16 photos which you can use as you see fit. The Paul Kelly farm was of course originally the Terrell Jacobs Training barn and Homestead located outside of Peru, Indiana. This was built of a solid wooden construction with a loft above. The first shot taken showing the barn from the back is showing the loading door ( towards the middle of the photo ) where the cages were backed up to the building and the cats were shifted in and out of the building. To the extreme right corner of the building was the seal and hippo den. I remember Paul and Dorothy Kelly telling me they sold the hippo to the Beatty show back in the late 60's or 70's. I'm sure Richard Reynolds has that detailed information. All the windows are glass block windows with bars. All along the far back side of the barn not visible in this photo on the inside were small cages for birds and one horse stall plus the upstairs access. Years later, this would become the property of Arthur Wirtz who owned the Cole Bros. Circus. He built the second barn shown in a later picture for the livestock which incorporated a kitchen area, canvas loft, a few bunk rooms, a training ring, and of course the elephant house and mechanical areas. He eventually sold all the Cole show equipment and animals less the train to Paul Kelly. These next three photos all show the great artwork of legendary corporation show artist Art Johns. I know Jim Peterson isn't going to believe this but I actually dated these photos as being taken on February 27, 1985. Bob
|
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Paul Kelly Farm #1 (From Bob Cline)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
The second barn was not built by Wirtz, but was already there as it housed the three elephants that Dolly would get in her divorce settlement. In the back of the barn was some sort of garage, workshop. When we came with the Cole Show the entire barn was used to house the thirteen elephants. The around one side and the back were horse stabling going into the ring barn on the opposite side. Also on that side a dining room, bunkhouse, shower-toilet,three private rooms for bosses,etc. were constructed along with a huge boiler room that was to heat the entire area. It never worked and becam unusable. In the front on the highway side right in front of the horse stables was an office with a couple desks and a room for a safe. Above the dormitory-kitchen-dining room was a nice wardrobe area, quite spacious as I recall. When we move3d in there in there in Oct. 1950 all the wagons were stored at the Navy Base in Bunker Hill except for necessary wagons needed on the site and would remain there for some time, probably until the purchase by Kelly.
The Hippo cage in the cat barn was contructed to house the Cole Hippo and the horse stall was probably for the riding lion act horse. Above the cat barn was stored Menagerie, side show, pad room, etc. Outside the cat barn was a small frame building that became the cookouse and down a lane was the small building slaughter house that became Waxy's harness shop and living for Waxy and John Smith. That winter while all this building and refurbishing was going on the animals were housed in the menagerie tent. With salamanders. The elephants were the first thing moved into the barn. We all lived on the circus train parked right down town by the bridge and depot. with electric heaters. It was a miserable winter but we trained alot of hors4es in that menagerie tent covered with snow.After all the contruction was completed it made a nice winterquarters facility and was an attractive sight. Frank Orman as ma nager and later my father kept it neat and clean, even to whitewashed rocks or boulders along the drive way. Terrel had also kept it nice as well. I remember the nicely painted permanent cages in the cat barn and it seems that the movement of various cats into the arena was not a cumbersome as described. maybe there was a shifting walk way. I think so but am not certain.
What a great description of life as it occurred at the time from those that were there. Thanks for the insightful look into history and the clarification on the facts Colonel.
Bob
Richard Reynolds adds - -
Kelly sold the hippo to Bob Snowden who put it on Royal American in 1957. He then sold it to the Beatty show. When it went to Deland the animal was still riding in the old 1929 John Robinson hipoo wagon that saw later service on H-W. Cole Bros had gotten it from RBBB (Peru) after the fire at Rochester WQ.
Photo one is the elephants barn. I hope to go see Dolly in two week, when I go to Peru. Also Im going to try to get more video of her & me cutting jackpot. Thanks Johnny & Bob and other, that is the info I have been looking for for my project to save the kelly farm. Johnny I have video of you and Bobby at show folks in 2002. Let me know if you like a copy.
David
David,
No, This is the cat barn. You can tell by all the small windows which are in all the cages. the elephant barn is shown in photo # 9. I do hope you have an enjoyable visit with Dorothy and Eddie. I wish I lived closer than I do to get over here myself.
Bob
There used to be a picture of the Terrell Jacobs Farm on the elephant database, but I just looked at could'nt find it. Baron Julius Von Uhl's first white tiger was born here, I think in 1972. He was named Tony and ended up in Wade Burck's troop of white tigers. I spoke to 90 year old Dorothy Kelly on the phone on two occasions when I was trying to find out Tony's date of birth. She wants to sell the farm and she told me they once had a hippo in there.
Post a Comment