Real america brings you ar archived films that help tell the story. Its a documentary depicting the restoration of painted and carved circus wagons for the Circus World Museum. It concludes with the july 4th circus parade of the newly restored wagons and circus animals and performers. Hi im joey brown. You know the good old days that people are always talking about . There were some good things in those good old days. There was this, something many of you have never seen. A circus parade. This was spectacular. Today youd call it a commercial to let everyone in town know that the big top was being raised. And the every day world would be transformed into one filled with exotic animals. Pretty girls filling pretty costumes and that oh so daring young man on the flying trapeze. It was a wonderful world. I had the good fortune to start my showbizness businessness career. I was one of the five marvelous ashtons. The marvelous was our own idea. There havent been more of these circus parades than some of us want to remember. It was natural for the Brewing Company that began a series of Community Wide celebrations of holidays to decide to recreate this wonder frlful bit of americana for the celebration of the fourth of july. These are the streets of milwaukee on the morning of july 4th. In a matter of hours theyll be the sight of the biggest circus parade held anywhere, any time. But it takes a lot of work to bring the memory back to larger than life and it lets people join hands with a team of experts in the Circus World Museum. Wisconsin is known as the mother of circuses. Having been the birth place of more than 90 of them including the biggest. Here at the museum, displays, models pictures and exhibits take the visitor back through the history of the circus. Theres a handsome devil. They say i was a rock hudson of my day. Boy, those were the good old days. Director of the Circus World Museum established 1959 as charles p. Fox. Known to everyone as chap piano. He and his chief craftsman will hold hundreds of meetings like this during the job of restoring over two dozen circus wagons to their original beauty. Minute details are checked against photographs of the wagons taken when the wagons were in their prime. Some of the wagons were so old that even photographs of them are rare collectors items. While chappie and ernie confer on work on the wagons, craftsmen begin the process for other wagons like this. Built over 70 years ago. First job is to get all the old paint off when you do you come to understand the beauty of the carvings. Those lovely ladies will a will adorn this wagon as soon as they get their turn in the beauty parlor. Only the man with the blow torch knows for sure. Nine out of ten hollywood stars use this as their beauty secret. When the paint is removed every detail is sanded down touched up, and repaired if necessary. This is the sky board that runs along the top of the wagon in the background when this lady came down with a rare shin disease, ernie made her a new one. Hes known as the ben casey. Look at some of the detail work on this wagon built in 1903. Safety hasnt been overlooked. Brand new brakes have been installed. While he has the final coats of paint, work goes on in other parts of town. Carl robinson making tent poles about the time it was being built, fashioned a new tongue for a wagon. And the machine shop an exact model of a 1901 ringling brothers one begins to put on a bright new coat. Youll notice what i called it. Dont let me get any of your small fry in trouble with your teacher but its pronounced caliope. He puts the finishing touches on a wagons wheel. I wish my barbers hands were as steady as cals. As the pressure of timeout the temple of the work increases. Cals wife comes in to lend an experienced hand. If you want a sign painted see cal. You might tell him that joe e. Sent you. Nsh nsh. And so the restoration job is completed. They join other wagons found rotting in fields and old farm buildings and presenting their faces to the world. Hes made an enormous contribution to americana by paying for the restoration of the wagons. They enabled the museum to get ten years worth of work done in months but it is done now while the craftsmen are still available. The wagons are loaded on flat beds for the 125 mile trip to milwaukee. A lot of humusel is needed to guide the wagons up on the trailers. One false move and theyll be standing knee deep in six tons of circus wagon. But eddie obrien and his expert team get the job done without any mishaps. 5 00 a. M. And the final stages of operation comes to an end. Officers of the wisconsin state Highway Patrol have been assigned to escort convoys to milwaukee. And were on our way. From out of the morning mist come friendly ghosts that mean warm and wonderful memories. They become more and more real as the sun moves higher in the wisconsin sky. They become so real that soon its time for some chow. Surprisingly part of the sleepy eyed customers inside. The journey continues. Circus wagon 54 where are you . At the city limits the Milwaukee Police pick up the convoy and escort it through the Downtown District to the marshalling area. For five days convoys bring groups of the wagons to this area. Where they are unloaded to the delight of crowds of spectators. Hundreds of magnificent horses from all over the United States and canada begin to arrive at their new home. As do the next generation of famous american artists. The teams of horses are hitched to their respective wagons for trial runs. Everything seems to be working out just fine and thats all to the good because the months of time for preparation and planning have run out. Its the fourth of july. A day in old milwaukee. Children participate in the traditional activities planned for them by parks. There are athletic events and competitions for decorating coaster wagons. Doll carriages and bicycles. A huge old fashion picnic for 1500 guests from all over the country. Forget the calories. Its a holiday. Robert eli and his gracious mrs. Parade time is nearing and some of the performers take their positions positions. Oh, isnt that a pretty cat behind bars that is. Elephants, all present and accounted for, sir. Hi there. A half Million People line the 3. 5 mile route which twists and turns through downtown. The hands of time turn back as were on our way to a day in old milwaukee. Leading off is antique automobiles. Of course im much too young to remember any of them thats the mayor of milwaukee. The honorable henry myer in a 1902 rambler. I dont remember that car. Its way before my time but i got the name here in my script. Why dont they get a horse. Good. Help will be on its way. The senior senator from wisconsin in a well let me see what it says here, a 1929 packard. One minute. Just a minute now. Americas first station wagon. 1915 ford. I remember when we had one. I think ill stick to the script if you dont mind. This is it. Here we go. The start of the biggest circus parade ever. Milwaukee becomes the fourth of july capitol of america. Mr. And mrs. Eli accompany the parade marshall, john m. Kelly. Founder of the Circus World Museum. Trumpeters and flag barers precede the wagon. It was built in 1880. Aboard is the circus band. 23 feet high and weighs empty five tons. Six pull this wagon built in 1884 and donated to the museum by walt disney productions. Everybody be quite. If you wake the tigers. Let sleeping tigers lie. The wagon was built in 1903 and its carvings represent the various countries in asia. It does not recognize red china. Camel patrol in madison wisconsin. Clouded by riders on pure bred arabian horses. Simple but none the less beautiful is this wagon. Six belgians draw this 1915 wagon. A wonderful display of horsemanship. Horsewomanship . Well, horseback riding. This is drawn by six midget mules. Another walt disney formation is this wag fwon having been built in the 1920s. Six make up the team and the tigers are awake. This is Something Like oscar night. The seashell wagon donated by may i have the envelope please . Walt disney productions. Built in 1907 and donated to the museum by im not going to tell you. You just guess. 23 feet long ten feet high and it weighs five tons. The girl in lion tablo built in 1950. Its pulled by six clydesdales. Its 11 feet long and a hefty four tons. Lloyd, the lama. A favorite performer up at the Circus World Museum. The band wagon pulled by six. This was donated from carson Perry Company of chicago. You know what, with this being the first circus parade in so long, many people didnt know what to wear. Two definite fashion trends were set. One was fur coats for men and the other, hats. Heres our baby. All shiny bright and full of music. It runs on a six pony power engine. The cinderella float like the old woman in the shoe that follows it was built in 1884. After long careers both in europe and america they were abandoned on a farm in missouri. Dedicated circus lovers found them and saw they made their way to the museum. Call the humane society. Why is he making that tiny creature pull that big heavy, heavy wagon. Despite the passengers this wagon was not donated by oh, here comes the columbia band wagon built in 1897. Six make up the team. This is the first circus wagon brought to the museum from outside the state of wisconsin. Built in 1903, it now carrying an electrically operated xilaphone. The. Some of the midwest most important industrial and professional leaders wear circus guard for a ride on the mirror wagon built in 1902. A band wagon built in 1903. It was donated to the museum by the family of the famous carnival owner bill haynes. You think this is good, you should see him do the twist. Did anyone see which way the masked man on the white horse went . Now this is the kind of transportation i remember. Up against the union jack trails the crowds. Over 60 years old and still a show stopper. A 1920 wagon pulled by four belgians without the tigers. It weighs a ton and a half around is 15 feet long and 11 feet high. These elephants like the wild animals in the parred a come from ringling brothers. Conforming with milwaukee in this celebration. Youll notice hes kneeling in the direction of mr. Ed. The traditional closer for a circus parade. Built in 1903, this wagon known as the america wagon performs regularly up at the museum the practical closer are these gentlemen but theres still more to come. Mr. Forest tucker a music man that does know the territory leads off a display of musicianship and precision marching and drilling as bands and bukeep the air filled with music. As the last man passes an ocean of people in the line of marchand down at the lakefront for a gigantic display to end this day. A truly special day. Our countrys birthday. As the last glare fades into the night sky this city looks forward to next year when it celebrates a day in old milwaukee and becomes americas fourth of july capitol. Youre watching American History tv. 48 hours of programming every weekend on cspan 3. Follow us on twitter at cspan history for information on our schedule of upcoming programs and to keep up with the latest history news. The medal of honor is the highest military honor given for valor in combat above and beyond the call of duty. Coming up next president obama awards it to two world war i veterans. The president speaks of their acts of courage and bravery on the western front and acknowledges that many brave soldiers were overlooked because of their skin color or their faith. Henry johnson was african american. Lewis wilson of the New York National guard accepted the medal on behalf of johnson and daughters of william accepted the medal on behalf of their father
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