This story was first published on March 12, 2025.
People are also reading…
Dave SaLoutos, who was ringmaster at Circus World for more than three decades before retiring in 2022, first played the Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon in 1985. The historic wagon, built in 1892, has returned to Baraboo after a 12-year absence and is on loan from its owner, Feld Entertainment in Florida, for at least the next four years.
Workers at the Moeller Wagon Shop in Baraboo pose in 1892 in front of the Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon they had just completed. The Ringling Bros. had been using secondhand wagons for their circus since its inception in 1884. The Bell Wagon was their first new wagon.
Fans of historic circus wagons turned out Monday to see the return of four wagons to Circus World in Baraboo. On the trailer at left are the Bell Wagon and the John Robinson Bandwagon No. 1, often referred to as the Lion and Gladiator Wagon. The trailer on the right holds the Hagenbeck-Wallace Lion’s Bride Tableau Wagon, built in 1905, and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Hippo Cage Wagon No. 73, believed to have been built in 1903.
Kathleen Thurow, president of the Circus World friends group, watches as the historic Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon is delivered to the grounds in Baraboo. The friends group helped pay for half of the transportation costs for the wagon's 1,440-mile journey from Florida.
The Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon is all Wisconsin. The main carriage was built in Baraboo by the H. Moeller & Sons Wagon Works, while the intricate wood carvings were crafted by Milwaukee Ornamental Carving Co. and the bells cast by Centennial Bell Foundry of Milwaukee.
Trucks with Deppe Enterprises enter the grounds of Circus World Museum on Monday to deliver four historic circus wagons from Feld Entertainment in Florida. Deppe has long ties to Circus World as Wilbur Deppe worked closely with C.P. "Chappie" Fox to create Circus World beginning in the early 1950s. The museum opened in 1959. Deppe Enterprises is now owned by Tim Deppe, Wilbur's grandson.
During the restoration of the Bell Wagon that began in 1984 at Circus World, the bells, which had been cast in 1892 in Milwaukee, were removed.
Dave SaLoutos last played the Bell Wagon in 2013, just before it left Circus World for the headquarters of Feld Entertainment, which owns the wagon but had Circus World restore the wagon beginning in 1984. The wagon returned to Baraboo on Monday and shortly after it was unloaded from a trailer, SaLoutos climbed aboard and began playing.
Photos: The wagons of Circus World Museum
Dave SaLoutos last played the Bell Wagon in 2013, just before it left Circus World for the headquarters of Feld Entertainment, which owns the wagon but had Circus World restore the wagon beginning in 1984. The wagon returned to Baraboo on Monday and shortly after it was unloaded from a trailer, SaLoutos climbed aboard and began playing.
Circus wagon enthusiasts, including Circus World, Inc. president Kathleen Thurow, applaud after the historic Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon is played by former Circus World ringmaster Dave SaLoutos in Baraboo, Wis. Monday, March 10, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Circus wagon enthusiasts look on Monday at the Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon and, at right, the John Robinson #1 Band Wagon. The wagons were among four shipped from Florida-based Feld Entertainment which is loaning the wagons to Circus World in Baraboo for at least the next four years.
Trucks with Deppe Enterprises enter the grounds of Circus World Museum on Monday to deliver four historic circus wagons from Feld Entertainment in Florida. Deppe has long ties to Circus World as Wilbur Deppe worked closely with C.P. "Chappie" Fox to create Circus World beginning in the early 1950s. The museum opened in 1959. Deppe Enterprises is now owned by Tim Deppe, Wilbur's grandson.
Dave SaLoutos, who was ringmaster at Circus World for more than three decades before retiring in 2022, first played the Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon in 1985. The historic wagon, built in 1892, has returned to Baraboo after a 12-year absence and is on loan from its owner, Feld Entertainment in Florida, for at least the next four years.
Kathleen Thurow, president of the Circus World friends group, watches as the historic Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon is delivered to the grounds in Baraboo. The friends group helped pay for half of the transportation costs for the wagon's 1,440-mile journey from Florida.
Fans of historic circus wagons turned out Monday to see the return of four wagons to Circus World in Baraboo. On the trailer at left are the Bell Wagon and the John Robinson Bandwagon No. 1, often referred to as the Lion and Gladiator Wagon. The trailer on the right holds the Hagenbeck-Wallace Lion’s Bride Tableau Wagon, built in 1905, and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Hippo Cage Wagon No. 73, believed to have been built in 1903.
A worker with Deppe Enterprises unrigs a vintage circus wagon after transporting it from Florida to Circus World in Baraboo, Wis. Monday, March 10, 2025. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
A tented circus display created by Bill Mattison continues to evolve in the basement workshop of his Madison home. For years he had a boat shop on Williamson Street where he built world-class sailboats and iceboats.
Big Top Parade
Circus World's famed parade used to mean loading the historic circus wagons on train cars, stopping at points around the state for amazed fans before hitting the streets of downtown Milwaukee.
Those days are past but visitors can still experience the thrill of the circus parading into town.
In its seventh year, the Big Top Parade takes over the streets of downtown Baraboo at 11 a.m. July 20. Filled with historic wagons and pageantry, the event celebrates the area's rich circus history.
More information: http://www.circusworldbaraboo.org/special-event/baraboos-big-top-parade-and-circus-celebration/2019-07-20/
Performers in Circus World Museum's Wild West Show make their way along the parade route during the first annual Big Top Parade in Baraboo, Wis. Saturday, July 27, 2013. John Hart -- State Journal
Long-time Circus World ringmaster Dave SaLoutos greets parade-goers along the route.
Gregg Chatterson, Ripon, left forefront, and Bill Backus, Manassas, Virginia, look at circus wagons Wednesday morning in the Deppe Wagon Pavilion at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, as Paige Backus, left, and Kathy Chatterson talk in the background, in July 2020.
This 1963 photo shows the arrival of three carloads of circus wagons in Chicago en route to Baraboo. Walt Disney Studios gifted the nine wagons from California to Circus World.
Walt Disney stands beside the Carl Hagenbeck Wagon No. 65, talking to an unidentified man, circa 1960. He later donated the wagon along with several others to Circus World in Baraboo.
This photo from the Circus World's collection is a promotional image from the set of "Toby Tyler," a circus movie released by Disney Studios in 1960. The wagon in the background is one of nine that Disney donated to Circus World in 1963.
Painter Joan Stevens on Thursday discusses pinstripes and gold leaf she placed on the Old Woman in a Shoe circus wagon at Circus World.
Woodcarver Homer Daehn conducts restoration work on the Old Woman in a Shoe circus wagon at Circus World.
Harold "Heavy" Burdick on Tuesday discusses several years of restoration work he and others conducted on the Old Woman in a Shoe circus wagon. The historic wagon and 13 others housed at Circus World will be featured in Saturday's Big Top Parade and Circus Celebration in Baraboo.
Harold "Heavy" Burdick discusses the work that goes into preparing authentic circus wagons for parades Tuesday at Circus World, in July 2018.
Circus World Executive Director Scott O'Donnell, left, and Monte Beck prepare the Beck Calliope Circus Wagon for transport to the Baraboo museum in July 2018. The wagon had been in storage in Onalaska for more than 20 years.
Circus World wagon restoration director Harold "Heavy" Burdick loads up the museum's America Steam Calliope Thursday for the Edgerton Tobacco Heritage Days parade in July 2017.
Virgil Kasper has been volunteering at Circus World Museum in Baraboo for the past 17 years. He spent part of a day last week painting the railing of a set of steps for a circus wagon. He also gives tours.
Stephen Freese looks over one of the many historic circus wagons at Circus World Museum in Baraboo in March 2013.
Stephen Freese, executive director of Circus World Museum, is reflected in the mirror of a restored historic circus wagon in March 2013.
The lobby of the auditorium and restoration building at Circus World Museum, as pictured in March 2013, includes hand-carved figures from circus wagons that could not be salvaged. The museum is also home to more than 300,000 photographs and 10,000 lithographs and posters.
Harold “Heavy” Burdick, who when this photo was taken in April 2011 had worked at Circus World Museum for 36 years, was set to appear in the upcoming movie “Water for Elephants.” The wagon behind Burdick was to be restored and the fictitious Benzini Bros. name will be removed.
Fifteen wagons from Circus World Museum were used in the film 'Water For Elephants.'
Workers at the Moeller Wagon Shop in Baraboo pose in 1892 in front of the Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon they had just completed. The Ringling Bros. had been using secondhand wagons for their circus since its inception in 1884. The Bell Wagon was their first new wagon.
During the restoration of the Bell Wagon that began in 1984 at Circus World, the bells, which had been cast in 1892 in Milwaukee, were removed.
In this image from 1910, spectators watch as what would become to be known as the Hippo Cage Wagon rolls by during a parade in Decatur, Illinois.
