Sunday, March 06, 2011

Circus World #5


Scan13300, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

During our recent discussion about giraffes,
I forgot all about this deserted den.

Posted by Buckles at 3/06/2011 06:41:00 AM

3 comments:

Richard Reynolds said...

I believe this No. 83 giraffe wagon is now at the Peru museum. I’d have to dig through my notes to be precise on the details.

There were two giraffe wagons when the show quit hauling the menagerie. Chappie Fox got one (No. 86) for CWM around 1960. It was one of the wagons loaded on the flats that went to Baraboo.

This one (no.83) was kept by the show when it started boarding its few remaining menagerie animals near New York. When Judge Hofheinz got involved, he had this one and other cages taken to Houston. It next went to the Venice quarters and then wound up at Circus World, Haines City. I was there in 1984 and it had was in bad shape - -looked like the padding inside had been burned.

Just when it moved to Peru, I cannot say. Dom Yodice, what say you?

06 March, 2011 11:56
Anonymous said...

Richard,
You are correct in your comments.
I remember it well at the old Garden during the 60's and also for a very few years at the new Garden.
I too saw it at Circus World and it wasn't in too bad a shape at the time.

I will have to check my files as to when it was sent to Peru. It did go there with several other wagons from the original Hall of Fame in Sarasota.

It is still under the shed in Peru. Unfortunately it is in terrible shape. The floor is just about gone as are the back doors. I don't really know what is holding it together???

I am always afraid that if someone were to sneeze near the wagon it would topple over (LOL).
Maybe it is clinging to hope that someday someone will try and restore it back to its original condition. Nothing is impossible.

As far as I know, the last time it was used was in 1972 at the new Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Ringling would play there in November as the last stand of the season. It has a very large exhibition hall where all the animals were displayed in the menagerie (Opps...Animal Open House).

They did bring the giraffe and wagon to this last stand. After the stand was over they loaded the wagon and occupant on a low boy trailer and it was sent on its way.
They didn't display the giraffe again until Gunther trained "Dickie".

I will dig out my photos and see if I have a photo of the set up (I am sure I do).
Dom

06 March, 2011 13:00
Anonymous said...

I don't think or remember seeing this wagon in Houston. Judge Hofheinz had a stroke in 1970 and the circus project stopped at that time. This photo looks like it was taken at Circus World or maybe Venice and not in Houston. Looks like some of the old train on the right. p.j.

07 March, 2011 09:07

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