Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-12-25
Little Journeys In
and About Barab0o
Interesting Places Of the Region Both as to Local History and
Scents Features
Part II.
Scents Features

A huge and humorous hoax was the
Cardiff Giant. The collapsed humbug
was told at every fireside in the land
in 1869 and has been retold thousands
of times since then. (If the reader is
interested go to the Carnegie Free
Library, Baraboo, and obtain copy
1 of the Century Magazine, Vol. Cd,
Oct 1902, page 948; or read in the
/ Sank County History, 1880, page SAD
, One of the star actors in the perfor-
nance was George Hull, who came
| from Binghampton, New York, to Bar
aboo, in 1867, and manufactured
cigars in shelly kind of structure
at GA Oak Street, next to the alley,
across the thoroughfare from the rear
of the Warren Hotel. While Hull was
away the building was burned. 1t is
stated there was insurance of $4,000,
that Hull settled for $1,000, and many
people said, 'Nigger in the fence
Where Celebrities Were Heard
At the north east corner of Oak and
Fifth, 701-705, now occupied by a
garage, was located the old Opera
House. Here were heard such char
acters as Robert G. Ingersoll, the
skeptic; w. J. Bryan, the silver ton
gued orator; Elbert Hubbard, a VIC
tim on the iLusitania; Opie Read,
the author; Robert NJ. La Toilette, the
senator; and many others. Nat
Goodwin, Salvini annd stars Of divers
magnitudes played by their roles and
noted musicians filled the structure
with their harmonious reverberations
The old building burned on February
%, 1905.
The. Oldest Living Thing in Town
If, perchance, one dwells in a town
where the inhabitants doA not keenly
appreciate the pleasure derived from
rare, old trees; or where the authori-
ties have destroyed many a precious
one, the visitor will be charmed with
the beauty of the streets of Baraboo.
In many places grand old elms arcr
the thoroughfares, giving wondrous
beauty to the vista and shade in the
midsummer season.
The gnarled burr oak nearly oppos-
ite the garage, standing at 708 Oak
Street, is without doubt the oldest
living thing in the town. An appre-
ciative magazine editor once graced
the pages of his publication with
story of this old oak and since then
it is often spoken of as the Magazine
Tree"
Church With Memorial Windows
On the northeast corner of Oak
and Sixth Streets is seen Trinity Epis-
copal Churh, charming edifice of
Gothic design, adorned with several
memorial windows. A bronze tablet
on the interior speaks of the long
service of one of the rectors, Rev
Samuel B. Cowdry.
The Giant of the Town
A few PAGES on the opposite side
of the street towers a giant cotton
wood, one of the largest trees in twon. 1t
stands nearly in front of the resi-
Ringing, the mother of the circus
brothers. enjoyed the evening Of life
and died in 1907 The daughter. Mrs.
Harry North, and her family resided
here until the spring of 1919 when
they moved to the stone mansion at
sft7 Broadway
Diagonally across the way. 107 Sew
enth Street, is the home of the late
j. j. Gattiker, one of the early resi-
dents of the town. 1t is now occupied
by his two daughters. This delight
full old home, with it's luxurious shrub
berry and garden, it's extensive library
and pipe organ, has long been gath
ering place for the literary and musi-
cal folk of Baraboo.
Passing up the street one block
brings the stroller to Eighth, and to
the left about two blocks, number
234, is the late home Of A. G. Ring
j ling, the first of the seven brothers
| to answer the all of death. The home
| is now occupied by Mrs. Ringing.
| Relatives of Movie Star
Just east of the Ringing residence,
218 Eighth Avenue, a small house is
half hidden behind a group of pines,
the place where Clara Kimball Young
grandparents, Professor and Mrs. ]. S
Kimball, resided for many years. The
parents of the movie star, Mr.. and
Mrs. Edward M. Kimball, dwelt there
with the professor and his wife for a
year or more when the daughter
Ywas in her infancy.
| Other Ringling Homes
On up Oak Street, number 10s
Tenth, stands the home erected b,
the late Alf. T. Ringing. who dies
at Oak Ridge, New Jersey, octobes
q, 1919. The place is surrounded b.
{ 9 vineelad, sandstone retaining wall
: has a commanding view, and is vel
: anroiufed within The n1ana Ia nov