Friday, January 08, 2016

#15 Barnum Show


Posted by Buckles at 1/08/2016 04:51:00 AM

4 comments:

4pawfan said...

New wagon coming out of the wagon shop. These wagons were still built with mortar and tenon joints on the upper outer wooden body frame (tongue and groove boards for the sides and roof) and lasted for years. These wagons were also lighter in weight compared to the wagons built by the American Circus Corp or by Red Forbs for the Al G Barnes show who had to use large amounts of iron braces to equal their strength. Almost everyone by this time was using all steel frames for their baggage wagons.
thank you for sharing the photos,
p.j.

08 January, 2016 14:27
Dick Flint said...

A new or refurbished wagon rolls out of the shop in this April 1927 shot by Frank Updegrove. It was one of the last to be worked on in Bridgeport as the show would move at the end of the 1927 season into buildings on the Sarasota fairgrounds that John Ringling purchased. The move was very practical as the longtime lease of the Bridgeport land owned by Barnum’s estate was to finally expire. In 1934 the City of Bridgeport acquired the land for park use and named it Wendt Park for the City’s park commissioner.

09 January, 2016 17:32
4pawfan said...

Mr. Flint is correct about this being taken by Frank Updegrove in 1927. The interesting thing about this wagon is that it is #9, which was the blacksmith dept. wagon. This wagon is still with us at the Ringling Museum where it was part of the "backyard" display in the 60's and 70's. p.j.

21 January, 2016 13:09
Chic Silber said...


That would be "mortise & tenon"

(or mortar & pestle)

21 January, 2016 16:27

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