Tuesday, June 06, 2017

#14 Al G. Barnes


Posted by Buckles at 6/06/2017 04:49:00 AM

1 comments:

Richard Reynolds said...

This is "Soudana" (later called "Edith") RBBB's female Nubian giraffe. She was one of the attractions added when Barnes-Sells Floto was augmented by equipment and features from RBBB. This animal was imported by Howard Y Bary for RBBB in 1936. She was very tractable and readily led on a leash hooked to her halter.

She got the name Soudana because of the place of her origin. Later she took the name Edith after Mrs. Edith Ringling widow of Charles and owner of one-third of RBBB. Giraffe Edith died at Sarasota in 1955.

I saw this giraffe on Sunday Nov.6,1938 when the show was setting up on the old Highland Ave. Show Grounds here in Atlanta. A canvas man lifted the side wall of the menagerie tent so we could peek inside. There stood Edith in her pen. She is the first giraffe I can recall seeing.

In 1938 Edith became the only giraffe ever shown by the Barnes show. Al G. had imported a pair around the early 1920s but they both died shortly after arriving by ship in California.

07 June, 2017 20:09

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