Burt & Buddy Oh My!

American Treasure Tour Trivia

Holy Robin Batman, today Burt Ward turns
68 years old!

Died on this Date in 2003:
Actor Buddy Ebsen

Did you know?
Ebsen was originally cast as the "Tin Man" in the Wizard of Oz but was hospitalized from inhaling the aluminum powder that was part of his make up and could not finish the movie so Jack Haley was cast.  Haley used reformulated make up that was premixed so he didn't inhale aluminum dust.

Today's Song:

On this date: 1944 
The worst tragedy in the annals of circus history occurred during the afternoon show of the Ringling Brothers Circus on July 6, 1944, at Hartford, Connecticut. With nearly 7,000 people enjoying the performance, the big tent suddenly became engulfed in flames. As fire spread up the side walls and raced across the top of the tent, the bandmaster, Merle Evans, swung his band into the song Stars and Stripes Forever -- the circus disaster tune. The sound of this tune moved all employees into high gear. The horses, elephants, the lions and tigers, were quickly led out of the tent out of danger.
For six weeks Ohio police and medical authorities listened at first with disbelief and the with increasing horror as a stoop-shouldered 20-year-old youth named Robert Dale Segee unfolded a grisly tale of arson and murder. Accustomed to fake confessions of unstable, publicity-seeking people, officials came to believe Segee's story through a mass of corroborative evidence, particularly a series of crayon drawings he made. With them Segee told of a life of crime which began with a murder when he was 8 years old, and reached a terrible climax in 1944 when he set a match to the big top of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Hartford, Conn. and started the holocaust which in six minutes killed 169 spectators.
http://worldhistoryproject.org/1944/7/6/hartford-circus-fire

Today's Quote:

Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away.

Ben Hecht

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/benhecht163774.html#Tw1SpDLrHL4aJeAy.99 

Ladies and Gentleman Children of all Ages ....

American Treasure Tour Trivia

On this date in History:  1848

Wisconsin became our 30th state.

1.What is the state's nickname?
a. The Copper State
b. The Badger State
c.  The Dairy State

2. What is Wausau famous for?
a. Ginseng Capital of the World
b. Insurance capital of the World
c. Cheese Capital of the World

3.Which of the following is Wisconsin NOT known for?
a.  Has the town that is the Jump Rope Capital of the World.
b.  Has the town that has the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.
c.  Has the town that houses the world's largest ball of twine.

4. Milwaukee's SummerFest is the nation's largest music festival.  How many performers does this festival have?
a.  2,000
b.  2,500
c.  3,000

5.  The Ringling Bros. Circus was first staged in Baraboo Wisconsin in what year?
a. 1799
b. 1884
c. 1910

Speaking of the circus, did you know that American Treasure Tour has a phenomenal award winning miniature circus that was a top winner at the Wisconsin State Fair and went on to spend some time at the Circus World Museum in Baraboo Wisconsin?  

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

1. b The Badger State
2. a Ginseng Capital of the World
3. c Has the town that houses the world's largest ball of twine
4. b 2,500
5. b 1884

Today's Treasure: Clowns of All Kinds

We hope that you're not coulrophobic at the Americna Treasure Tour! We have clowns all around! Some of them are even automatons. Automata are self-operating machines, often utilizing clockwork mechanics to move without continuous human guidance. 1860 through 1910 is considered the "Golden Age of Automata."

Today's Treasure: Circus Sideshow Paintings

Inspired by vintage advertisements for circus side-show acts, Pennsylvania artist Joan Fay painted nearly 100 original canvas paintings in the manner of circus advertisements from the early19th century. 

 Some of the acts from circus of a bygone era were of talented performers who trained themselves to do things like breathe fire (see below) while others were the result of imagination and inventive costuming like the above act for a half man, half alligator....yikes!

S

Influential American: P.T. Barnum

Phineas Taylor Barnum is best known for his part in Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. 

An entreprenuer from the start, Barnum owned a newspaper in his Connecticut hometown before moving to New York where he quickly founded "Barnum's Grand Scientific and Musical Theater." He purchased a museum which he used as a platform for performances from his variety act and for other human curiosities and oddities. Eventually, his museum housed America's first aquarium. 

       While ever adding to his list of attractions and oddities, Barnum was also a very productive politician, serving two terms in the Connecticut legislature, and eventually becoming mayor of Bridgeport, CT. 

      Barnum did not enter the travelling circus business until he was in his sixties. He started "P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome," a traveling circus, menagerie and museum. He later partnered with Bailey, creating Barnum and Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth." 

    At the American Treasure Tour there is a wonderland of circus memorabilia, artifacts from the circus and vintage advertisements from the show's heyday. 

Today's Treasure; Circus Posters

These treasures are canvas paintings depicting actual circus posters of the early 20th century. 

 The advertisements often bragged of freaky sideshow acts like these. 

Pennsylvania artist Joan Fay created these one of a kind paintings for the American Treasure Tour

Today's Treasure: Lions and Tigers and ...Elephants!

The American Treasure Tour includes some fantastic life size animal animatronics and likenesses. 

Many like the lion above were used in advertisement for various circuses.