Road Trip from Virginia to South Dakota, unfolded many amazing adventures.
In Peru, Indiana was the first of many~
This interesting place is where Circuses of the past wintered until they left in the spring for a new circus season.
We spent a morning being the only visitors.
Sadly, the place is badly in need of work, more housing to display and of course, money.
The man who showed us around had once held many jobs with the Circus. He
once was a Ring Master. I could see him as a very handsome Ring Master in his younger day.
I loved his candid stories.
He recalled to us how he ran away with the Circus at age 34
as he had fallen in love with one of the trapeze
artists. He lamented he had lost the beauty to another circus man. He said "It still hurts."
He
continued on to have a
string of romances but never married. While we were there another ex-juggler came in with old photos. All there seem to be happily living in the past.
Here are a few of the
animal showcases of yesteryear.
There were many, many there all too close together to photo and most were not as decorated. They held the stench of the big animals.
Outside on the grounds were antique Circus vehicles. The air was clean and day clear. There,
was totally fascinated with the
"Bull Dog" Truck. It was chain driven to push or pull anything. To me, it looked like the perfect big toy.
Notice the gear shift on the floor of the cab...
AND A big chain attached to the back wheels to make it quite powerful.
Back inside the second and last
very karge building was the bonus of the trip. There,
totally filled with interesting Circus memoribilla, was
Cinderella's coach which was seen in the movie.
We were the only people there on the beautiful late September day. The retired Ringmaster entertained us with many stories...he and my husband went back down the long sandy road to see records that were in the main office.
I lingered behind to look at all the pictures. It was neat of have all of that to be mine alone. I made a ton of photos.
I had worked my way to the back of the large building when I heard a woman talking. Since there were others there, I decided to leave.
Was suprised that no one was at the front of the building. Apparently they were outside.
Stepping through the doorway, the noon day sun was warm; a gust of wind picks up a loose awning and whips it about. A rope dangles from the roof. Looking right and left, and all about, there was no one there. A little tingle went down my back remembering the woman's clear voice.
Back at the office, my story prompted a call to the Paranormal Investigators of Indiana as my encounter wasn't the first. Others had heard many things among the collection of yeateryear. I can't wait to hear the outcome.
