Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Mystery #2


Scan11107, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

I will close today's Blog with this unidentified picture which you South Carolina gentlemen might shine some light.

Posted by Buckles at 12/23/2008 05:46:00 AM

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a South Carolina circus fan, all I can think of is that she must be an ancester of the famous Lizard Man of Bishopville S.C, maybe some of you remember him. Or, it could be my mother-in-law, my wife dosen`t read this blog, so I`m safe. The rail car must be from the Union or Southern Pacific, looks like the late 1800`s.

23 December, 2008 10:07
Bob Cline said...

I agree with Hal about the Southern Pacific or Union Pacific RR. Would that have been on the East Coast at the turn of the century?

The only thing that came to mind immediately was the Gillspie Bros. Circus in 1914 that was based out of Columbia, SC. They got an elephant named Lena from Wm. P. Hall that escaped the show and was shot and killed by farmers between Hartsville and Chesterfield, SC.

The apparrel of the people seems to indicate earlier than 1914 however. An expert of apparrel, I am not.
Bob

23 December, 2008 13:42
Buckles said...

To me it suggests a traveling Wax Museum but why the gathering of such well dressed people on this particular occasion?

23 December, 2008 15:59
Anonymous said...

The steel farm wheel on the wagon would normally suggest something outfitted by C. W. Parker of Abilene and Leavenworth, KS, or another outfit with wagons of economical manufacture or purchase. But, his carnival activities are perhaps too late for this photo. The camel-girl might be someone with scoliosis, but I think it’s very probably Ella Harper, seen in Eisenmann photos, who could walk somewhat like a "crab" on her hands and feet [facing forward]. Her knees could rotate forward, not just backward, as is normal. She was billed as the "Camel Girl." South Carolina might suggest her state of birth.

So, this could be an early independent side show that moved between fairs. Harper was reportedly born in Hendersonville, TN in 1873 and was age 13 when she traveled with Harris Nickel Plate in 1886, possibly her last show engagement. If Harris leased his train, this could be his show, too, perhaps with Harper booked on as a separate side show.

As with so many side show personalities, little primary documentation has been placed into print, but tertiary stories abound. The coniferous trees and partially visible flat car title suggest they may be on the Northern Pacific Railroad.

23 December, 2008 17:03
Anonymous said...

Note that Saratoga style trunk on the platform. This isn't a circus. Those things were considered a Jonah on shows. They didn't stack like usual show trunks, the dome causing instability and wasting space. "No Saratogas" was the way some ads read.

23 December, 2008 17:05

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