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Explore Circus World

What began with less than an acre of land, six historic circus wagons plus a lot of grit, determination, and passion, has now become an internationally recognized and respected institution encompassing 64 acres, 30 permanent structures, seven winter quarters buildings along Water Street, plus the Ringling Bros. Circus Train shed complex, and over 260 spectacular wagons. Circus World truly is “Wisconsin’s National Treasure!”

Our Treasures

As other entertainment forms gained popularity, Circus World began documenting and collecting important treasures of the American Circus. From original Ringling Circus buildings to the smallest flea circus prop

Our Treasures will astonish!

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Circus World

Circus World

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Circus World - Official

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2 days ago
Circus World

𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀: Perry George “P.G.” Lowery was born into a growing Kansas African American community in 1869. As part of a musical family, he learned the cornet at a young age and played in a variety of bands throughout his early years. He trained at the Boston Conservatory in the late 1890s and was considered one of the top cornetists of the time. Lowery’s musical talents and professionalism put him in high demand, and he formed his own company that performed in minstrel or vaudeville shows over the winter and circuses during the remainder of the year.

Live music was central to circus performance in the early 20th century. While African American musicians worked for the circus, they were relegated to sideshow bands and not allowed to play in the big top. Lowery was an innovative band leader who entertained circus audiences with a vaudeville-style show. His band’s performances included ragtime music and popular dances like the Cakewalk, a very different style than seen in traditional minstrel shows. Lowery successfully operated his business enterprise throughout a 50-year career, significantly expanding opportunities for Black musicians while entertaining the masses.

📸: Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus featured P.G. Lowery and his band for many years. The band is shown here on top of a parade wagon in about 1912 | Image ID CWi 4971

📸: P.G. Lowery directed and played in the sideshow band for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919-1931. In 1920 Lowery’s band became the first African American musicians to play in a big top performance | Image ID CWi 4972

📸: Besides being a talented musician and a successful businessman, P.G. Lowery was also known for his kindness and generosity in aiding the professional development of other musicians | Image ID CWi 4973
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𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀: Perry George “P.G.” Lowery was born into a growing Kansas African American community in 1869. As part of a musical family, he learned the cornet at a young age and played in a variety of bands throughout his early years. He trained at the Boston Conservatory in the late 1890s and was considered one of the top cornetists of the time. Lowery’s musical talents and professionalism put him in high demand, and he formed his own company that performed in minstrel or vaudeville shows over the winter and circuses during the remainder of the year. 

Live music was central to circus performance in the early 20th century. While African American musicians worked for the circus, they were relegated to sideshow bands and not allowed to play in the big top. Lowery was an innovative band leader who entertained circus audiences with a vaudeville-style show. His band’s performances included ragtime music and popular dances like the Cakewalk, a very different style than seen in traditional minstrel shows. Lowery successfully operated his business enterprise throughout a 50-year career, significantly expanding opportunities for Black musicians while entertaining the masses. 

📸: Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus featured P.G. Lowery and his band for many years. The band is shown here on top of a parade wagon in about 1912 |  Image ID CWi 4971 

📸: P.G. Lowery directed and played in the sideshow band for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919-1931. In 1920 Lowery’s band became the first African American musicians to play in a big top performance | Image ID CWi 4972 

📸: Besides being a talented musician and a successful businessman, P.G. Lowery was also known for his kindness and generosity in aiding the professional development of other musicians | Image ID CWi 4973Image attachmentImage attachment

Comment on Facebook

Thank you for highlighting the career and generosity of this talented man.

What wagon was this in 1912? Was it lost in the Hammond Indiana train wreck?

I was lucky enough to play in the band riding on #37 in the 2009 Milwaukee Circus Parade.

4 days ago
Circus World

𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆: While the talented craftsmen at Circus World have beautifully restored many wagons over the past six decades, did you know they have also completely reconstructed wagons that were lost to time? One of the wagons brought back to life is the Ringling Bros. United States tableau wagon. The original wagon was part of an elaborate set debuted by Ringling Bros. in 1903 highlighting “Nations of the World.” Constructed by Bode Wagon Company for $1,500, the wagon often carried riders in patriotic or military wardrobe during parades. The wagon was no longer used after the Ringling parade was discontinued in 1920, and it eventually ended up in a field at the show’s winter quarters in Florida. Collectors salvaged carvings from the sides, and some of those carvings made their way to Baraboo and were used to reconstruct the wagon in 1991.

📸: Original wagon as it appeared on Ringling Bros. Circus | Image ID CWi 2997

📸: Heavy Burdick (L) and Bill Bahr (R) working on the United States tableau reconstruction in the Circus World wagon shop | Image ID CWi 2999

📸: Working document from Miratec Systems, Inc in St. Paul that was used to create a pattern for the wagon carvings | Image ID CWi 1961

📸: Newly reconstructed wagon loaded on the train for the Great Circus Parade in 1992 | Image ID CWi 4970
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Comment on Facebook

its so awesome. we sometimes think that history is in our history books. but for circus folks this and all you do at Circus World is more than appreciated....

I love all the articles and photos posted on Circus World! The people who do the reconstruction of these magnificent wagons are true artists. Thank you so much for saving what would have been lost forever from the circus history! God Bless ❤️❤️❤️

So majestic. Huge! Cool information. Thanks for sharing. I do forget some wagons need to be rebuilt, drastically 🙂

The extremely wide wheels are a testament to the weight of the wagon when fully loaded. It was not just a pretty face, it was a workhorse.

What works of art, beautiful!

I remember seeing this when it was the talk of the state at the parade in Milwaukee

Do the wagons still go to Milwaukee for early july?

Mother took us to winter quarters in Sarasota 1958-9-60 . We saw many junk wagons up on oil drumbs, and in piles of collapsed wood wheels and sides. So much junk strewn all over with wooden sided passenger rail cars used as living quarters. We rode the Penna. Pullman train to Tampa from Chicago , AC never worked but had old fashioned open observation car to sit on and get a breeze.

Enjoyed getting a group tour of these wagons twice now. It was narrated well.

Know our grandfather help restore one of the wagons in Baraboo back in the day, sculpture of a woman on one of the wagons

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1 week ago
Circus World

𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The Strobridge Lithograph Company printed this large 6 sheet poster in 1889 for the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Measuring approximately 6 feet by 5 feet, the poster depicts show owners P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey standing on the rear platform of a train winding its way through a mountainous region. The poster also features various vignettes of what visitors could expect to see if they went to the show. The word “Excursions” refers to a popular tactic used by circuses to pull in audiences from a larger geographic area. Special arrangements were made between the circus and regional railroad companies where a patron could buy special combined tickets to take them to a nearby town to see a show.

📸: CWi 14798
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𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The Strobridge Lithograph Company printed this large 6 sheet poster in 1889 for the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Measuring approximately 6 feet by 5 feet, the poster depicts show owners P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey standing on the rear platform of a train winding its way through a mountainous region. The poster also features various vignettes of what visitors could expect to see if they went to the show. The word “Excursions” refers to a popular tactic used by circuses to pull in audiences from a larger geographic area. Special arrangements were made between the circus and regional railroad companies where a patron could buy special combined tickets to take them to a nearby town to see a show.  

📸: CWi 14798

Comment on Facebook

From the bottom of my heart I want to say if you have ever thought of going to circus world you will be entertained beyond belief you will learn many things people will gladly answer your questions the quality of the exhibits and the care with which circus world maintains important museum pieces and then sometimes refurbishes them is just something that swells your heart. You could spend all day looking at just the wagons. You can spend all day if you wish just looking at inside museum. Or if you don't have several days you could see many things in one day. It is more than worth your time. In my childhood we traveled 9 hours to go to circus world about every other year because it was so entertaining and informative we begged to go as children. And here I am as a woman of a certain age, 65. Not able to go anymore but really enjoying the memories. Last I was there was about 6 years ago. When I was an adult and my mother was in a wheelchair they had an easy push around type chair that easily accommodated her so that she could enjoy all the sites and sounds and smells and the show. These are treasured family memories for generations if you are all hesitating, please don't this is well well worth your time my children talk about it all the time my siblings and I talk about it all the time and believe you me, the grandchildren will go with their parents to continue to find tradition of circus. Please do not miss this amazing facility and the people you will meet there

6 ft by 5 ft!!!! Wowsa. Cool poster. So much going on from the background to the narrative to the specific squares. Really cool. And B & B too. Sweet.

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