Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-12-11

away the snow, erected a building SO
| by IA feet from rough boards, filling
the spaces between the walls with
sawdust, and covering the floor with
the same material. A bronze tablet
on the treebank marks the site.
An Early College
In the days before high schools
every village with any pretensions to
enterprise and enlightment had a
select school or college The building
at the rear of the Ringing residence,
221 and 223 Fifth avenue, was the
home of the Baraboo Collegiate In
stitute, established in 1858. With the
opening of the free high school in
Baraboo in the late SOS the institu-
ton closed it's doors. Originally the
building faced the east.
A Literary Atmosphere
The old street still boasts a literary
atmosphere as a little farther to the
west. at number 3l6 Fifth avenue,
lives Jack Boyle, the genial author OF
the widely read Boston Blackie stor-
les.
Library Where Church Stood
Turning to the left at the corner OF
Fifth and Birch, one block brings the
1oiterer to the Carnegie Free Public
Library, standing on the site of the
Free Congregational church. In the
old church Samuel Longfeilow, a
brother of the New England poet, ex-
pounded the doctrines of Unitarianism,
the choir singing hymns OF his com
position. In the same building A.
Bronson Alcott interpreted transcen-
dentalism, and Rev. Frederic May
Holland. a cousin of Louisa M. Alcott,
was heard there.
Home OF the GoIlmars
A little to the south of the library,
5O7 Birch street, is the home OF the
late Mr.. and Mrs. G. G. Goldman, par
ents of the Gollmar Brothers who
owned a circus for many years. The
Gollmar sons and daughters are cou-
sins of the Ringlings. The house is
now occupied by a daughter, Mrs.
Armor Brown.
Where The Ringlings First Pitched a
Tent
Turning to the left on Second av-
enue one block, then to the right one
block, brings the visitor to the county
iail, the site where Ringing Brothers
first pitched their "big top" May 10,
1884. The old Jail stood farther back
on the lot and the circus was given
near the avenue, the gate of the fence
enclosing the grounds, standing open
all day.
Although they had given hall shows
before the first circus performance be-
meath a tent, that afternoon in May
was the beginning Of road which
ended in the making of several mil
lionaireS.
Across the street and a little to the
west, 210 Second avenue, is where Au-
gust Ringing Originally spelled
lRungeling), the father Of the show
men, died in 1898, The family pre-
viously lived at number 227, almost at
OPPOPASS
side of the thoroughfare.
A Dream of Jugs
Continuing on Second avenue one
is reminded that on the side OF the
hill there was once pottery where
jars and jugs were produced in pro-
fusion. AS with the poet one can
almost hear the potter sing:
Turn, turn, my wheel, turn round and
round;
V lthout a pause, without a sound.
The Lincoln Elm
The large elm in front of the resi-
dence at SOC Second avenue was plant
ed by the late State Senator Frank
Avery on the day the news of the
assassination of President Lincoln
reached Baraboo in April, 1865. 1t is
known as the Lincoln elm. AS with
the martyred Lincoln a tradgedy
came to the tree one day-Jove shot
a thunderbolt into its branches, badly
injuring it.
No Lions Now
Continuing down the street, the
ground to the left and adjacent to
the river, was the winter quarters of
the Gollmar Brothers Circus for many
years. The circus was established in
1891, was conducted by Charles A,
Benjamin F., Fred c., and Walter S.,
and sold by them in the fall of 1916
to the Patterson Carnival company. z
Largest Mill This Side of Philadelphia
Across the river stands the Island
Wooden Mill (owned by the McFet-
ridge family.) the largest institution
of its kind west of Philadelphia.
Lyons
Crossing the concrete bridge over
the Baraboo river, where the inviting
pergolas stand at the end of the
dam, one is in the village of Lyons.
plated by w. H. Garfield in 1916, the
first plat in the Baraboo valley. and
named for Lyons, New York.
Going several blocks to the right
after making the first turn, the ira
velerds on the Baraboo- Kilbourn road