Purdue News
Purdue News
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November 3, 2000 Circus barns take center ring at Barn Again! In IndianaWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – When the greatest shows on earth stopped globetrotting for the winter, they folded up their big tops and headed for Miami County. The barns that served as the off-season homes for some of America's largest circuses more than 70 years ago take center ring at Barn Again! In Indiana, Nov. 11. Barn Again! is an annual workshop series focusing on rehabilitating old barns. The series is co-sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. This fall's Barn Again! promises to be among the most interesting in the series, says Janet Ayres, assistant director for Extension Leadership and Community Development. "Since this is about circus barns, I think it's going to be very exciting," Ayres says. "Barns are a part of our state's character. If we don't draw attention to these wonderful rural assets, we'll lose them." Workshop sessions are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Blair Point Elementary School in Peru, Ind. Historians, preservationists and construction industry experts will discuss such topics as the history of barns, alternative uses for the buildings, rehabilitation tax credits and renovation case studies. At 2 p.m. workshop participants will tour two circus barns, including a barn that houses the Circus Hall of Fame, and two others that were once owned by famed composer and Peru native Cole Porter. From the turn of the century until the Great Depression, Miami County was the circus capital of the world, says Tom Dunwoody, president of the Circus Hall of Fame. The American Circus Corp. operated three major circus companies there before eventually selling out to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. "During the Roaring '20s Miami County boasted the largest circus winter quarters in the United States," Dunwoody says. "They came here to train new acts, house their animals and repair their wagons. The performers either lived in town or performed in Shrine circuses in the winter." The two circus barns were built in 1922 and constructed specifically for circus use, Dunwoody says. Both have concrete columns and main spans supported by 24-inch steel beams. The barns are 150 feet by 74 feet, and nearly 11,000 square feet in size. One barn, known as the north barn, has been restored to its original appearance. Every summer the Circus Hall of Fame comes alive with the sights and sounds of elephants, tigers and trapeze artists. The performance season runs from late June through Labor Day. Barn Again! registration is $35 per person or $25 for members of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. The fee includes a workshop packet and lunch. Additional registration information is available through the foundation at (317) 639-4534 or (800) 450-4534. Sources: Janet Ayres, (765) 494-4215; ayres@agecon.purdue.edu Tom Dunwoody, (765) 472-7553; circus@cqc.com Writer: Steve Leer, (765) 494-8415; sleer@aes.purdue.edu Other source: Marsh Davis, director of community services, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, (317) 639-4534.
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