Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Contributors
Recent Comments
Retirement Fund
Favorite Links
- Circus Historical Society
- Circus News
- Circus Fans Association of America
- Showfolks of Sarasota
- Arkansas Elephant Sanctuary
- Jim's "All My Days are Circus Days"
- Pat Cashin's Clown Alley
- Bill Strong's Yesterday's Towns
- Circus Links
- Circus Model Builders
- Magic Gallery
- Tim Perkins Blog
- Trumble's Carson & Barnes Blog
- Dick Dykes
- Wade G Burck
- Chuck Mayo
- The Circus Blog
- Jackie LeClaire
Subscribe
Blog Archive
- March 2023 (15)
- February 2022 (5)
- November 2021 (33)
- October 2021 (3)
- September 2021 (61)
- August 2021 (37)
- May 2021 (39)
- April 2021 (10)
- March 2021 (17)
- February 2021 (103)
- January 2021 (137)
- December 2020 (21)
- November 2020 (76)
- October 2020 (151)
- September 2020 (73)
- August 2020 (65)
- July 2020 (181)
- June 2020 (174)
- May 2020 (225)
- April 2020 (181)
- March 2020 (124)
- February 2020 (221)
- December 2019 (36)
- November 2019 (77)
- October 2019 (166)
- September 2019 (146)
- August 2019 (62)
- July 2019 (250)
- June 2019 (238)
- May 2019 (311)
- April 2019 (355)
- March 2019 (367)
- February 2019 (313)
- January 2019 (373)
- December 2018 (377)
- November 2018 (348)
- October 2018 (378)
- September 2018 (381)
- August 2018 (542)
- July 2018 (514)
- June 2018 (153)
- May 2018 (4)
- April 2018 (3)
- March 2018 (110)
- February 2018 (296)
- January 2018 (590)
- December 2017 (569)
- November 2017 (587)
- October 2017 (565)
- September 2017 (405)
- August 2017 (509)
- July 2017 (575)
- June 2017 (558)
- May 2017 (653)
- April 2017 (562)
- March 2017 (507)
- February 2017 (451)
- January 2017 (516)
- December 2016 (367)
- November 2016 (479)
- October 2016 (449)
- September 2016 (517)
- August 2016 (427)
- July 2016 (400)
- June 2016 (360)
- May 2016 (272)
- April 2016 (374)
- March 2016 (481)
- February 2016 (405)
- January 2016 (429)
- December 2015 (240)
- November 2015 (381)
- October 2015 (477)
- September 2015 (461)
- August 2015 (427)
- July 2015 (463)
- June 2015 (421)
- May 2015 (350)
- April 2015 (416)
- March 2015 (467)
- February 2015 (441)
- January 2015 (460)
- December 2014 (408)
- November 2014 (379)
- October 2014 (416)
- September 2014 (378)
- August 2014 (413)
- July 2014 (414)
- June 2014 (482)
- May 2014 (429)
- April 2014 (367)
- March 2014 (458)
- February 2014 (406)
- January 2014 (390)
- December 2013 (508)
- November 2013 (353)
- October 2013 (423)
- September 2013 (468)
- August 2013 (536)
- July 2013 (490)
- June 2013 (447)
- May 2013 (411)
- April 2013 (401)
- March 2013 (407)
- February 2013 (372)
- January 2013 (432)
- December 2012 (413)
- November 2012 (388)
- October 2012 (398)
- September 2012 (376)
- August 2012 (387)
- July 2012 (382)
- June 2012 (351)
- May 2012 (356)
- April 2012 (367)
- March 2012 (351)
- February 2012 (336)
- January 2012 (410)
- December 2011 (393)
- November 2011 (283)
- October 2011 (333)
- September 2011 (363)
- August 2011 (356)
- July 2011 (336)
- June 2011 (363)
- May 2011 (351)
- April 2011 (324)
- March 2011 (327)
- February 2011 (253)
- January 2011 (368)
- December 2010 (359)
- November 2010 (315)
- October 2010 (342)
- September 2010 (345)
- August 2010 (352)
- July 2010 (344)
- June 2010 (335)
- May 2010 (338)
- April 2010 (321)
- March 2010 (369)
- February 2010 (318)
- January 2010 (338)
- December 2009 (358)
- November 2009 (338)
- October 2009 (354)
- September 2009 (368)
- August 2009 (354)
- July 2009 (401)
- June 2009 (403)
- May 2009 (375)
- April 2009 (346)
- March 2009 (406)
- February 2009 (341)
- January 2009 (353)
- December 2008 (351)
- November 2008 (362)
- October 2008 (391)
- September 2008 (375)
- August 2008 (382)
- July 2008 (324)
- June 2008 (349)
- May 2008 (375)
- April 2008 (383)
- March 2008 (369)
- February 2008 (426)
- January 2008 (457)
- December 2007 (360)
- November 2007 (369)
- October 2007 (359)
- September 2007 (361)
- August 2007 (370)
- July 2007 (341)
- June 2007 (307)
- May 2007 (298)
- April 2007 (391)
- March 2007 (374)
- February 2007 (326)
- January 2007 (385)
- December 2006 (343)
- November 2006 (252)
- October 2006 (213)
- September 2006 (174)
- August 2006 (180)
- July 2006 (176)
- June 2006 (155)
- May 2006 (178)
- April 2006 (170)
- March 2006 (149)
- February 2006 (134)
- January 2006 (154)
- December 2005 (135)
- November 2005 (137)
- October 2005 (113)
- September 2005 (100)
- August 2005 (102)
- July 2005 (103)
- June 2005 (43)
16 comments:
I am not that familiar with the farm but am sure hoping there are some plans to restore it & turn it into a museum.
I always thought the Kelly place, being right on the highway, was more suited to a public museum than the old Corporation WQ.
Of course the old place has much more history but it's a long drive from town and some are not going to have the interest or dedication to go out there.
I may get some flack from this comment; I certainly don't mean it as a criticism of the great work the Hall of Fame people have done.
The Hall of Fame board has often expressed the desire to purchase the Kelly farm. The only thing holding back progress on that project is the funds. Any volunteers ? How about an internet fund raiser ?
Dorothy and Eddie have had several offers to sell but every one wanted to tear the place down and build condos. They have held steadfast in their desires to keep it intact. With Dorothy about 95 years of age now and Eddie around 75 years of age, the place is not getting any repair work anymore. I only wish I could win the lottery and buy it to make sure it was preserved. Sorry, there I go dreaming again!
Bob
They have also recieved numerous offers from people from the Peru area to keep it in tact and develop it as a musum
Does anybody have any information about white tiger cubs, or other tiger cubs, born from a pair of tigers owned by Baron Julius Von Uhl, named Raja and Sheba, at the Paul Kelly Farm?
Why not just ask Von Uhl himself, He lives right outside of Peru. I'm sure someone can loacate a mailing address or phone number in the area.
Bob
Bob Cline-Thank you for the suggestion. I have spoken to Baron Julius Von Uhl on two occasions, and he was very nice, but not too helpful. I called him once when he was at his house in Florida and once when he was back in Peru, Indiana. He seemed to want to talk about everything under the sun except tigers. After so many years he may not remember all of the details. He sold Raja and Sheba to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha 30 years ago, along with their orange daughter Obie, who was born in 1975. I have also spoken to Dorothy Kelly, but she does'nt remember much about these particular tigers. I asked for the name of their vet, but he has passed away.
It's amazing that the cat barn housed 52 big cats and a hippo. I wonder why zoos don't copy this. They could rotate the animals outside in one or two outdoor runs. It would be great if they could turn the Paul Kelly farm into a museum and maybe add some amusement park rides, but I think there's already a circus museum in Peru, Indiana.
The Kelly family actually had some rides, a cafeteria, and a tour of the place trying to make a small Museum out of it at the time. They couldn't get enough people to stop. The Hall of Fame didn't even exist at the time. Granted marketing is everything. Probably didn't happen. It needs to be preserved. There isn't another Circus Winter quarters like it left in the United States.
Bob
Anonymous,
Are you insane!!! Why in the world would we want to copy something like this!!! The exhibiting of animals has moved light years past this format. Why would we want to take a giant step backward?
Wade Burck
The cat barn did not have room or cages to house fifty two cats. Twenty would be more realistic. I was in there numerous times when Terrel was still there and it did not have a Hippo tank until we moved in with Cole Bros. animals in 1950. I believe the heyday of Terrel in the late thirties would have him in Sarasota Ringling qtrs. where they would have more room for cats, or even the old qtrs. in Peru. Its interesting that he did, I presume, have some 40+ cats in his act on Ringling. Who owned the cats, etc. in 38 or 39. Along with the number of Black cats. Seems he had his hands full.
I do not recall any outside runs while Terrel was there. Maybe they were added by Kelly when he bought the St. Louis Zoo cat act and had Jules Jacot there for a brief time, but on visits over the years I don't recall any outdoor run. I could have maybe not nticed, but I doubt it.
I am not contradicting John Herriot, but under picture no. 5 it says that there were 24 dens inside the barn on three sides housing 52 cats at one time. I did'nt say that there were any outdoor runs, just that if a zoo were to copy this set up they should have them. I wonder if the Paul Kelly Farm could be declared an historical site, or maybe that would'nt help Dorothy Kelly, but just limit her options. I think she told me she has tried unsuccessfully to get the city to buy the property, and that there is a restaurant on site.
I remember visiting Paul & Dorothy back in the early 1980's. They had recieved the application package from the National Historic Registers. Paul wasn't keen on the thought of applying as there wasn't any money in it for him. Just a Declaration. The problem with that logic is that there are tons of grants out there to preserve Historic sites. Granted I didn't know then what I understand about Grants now or I would have tried to concince him otherwise.
Circus World Museum in Baraboo is benefitting from some of those and should be applying right now for more.
Bob
I read an article about a pig being killed by a cat on the farm next door to Baron Julius Von Uhl's, where he kept 15 lions. All of his lions were accounted for, and he said that cats don't kill for fun and then not eat their prey.
Post a Comment