Circus Wagon 1960s by Bill Wilezol

From MemoryArchive

Who: Bill Wilezol
What: Circus Wagon
When: 1960s
Where: New Jersey

As a young boy growing up in the early 1960s, a popular place to hang out or play was the circus wagon. A leftover relic of a bygone era when traveling carnivals were popular. The rusted hulk sat abandoned in a weeded field. It sat at the intersection of several properties, hence we never knew who owned it and took the liberty to use it. Sized like a large delivery van, the old machine had wooden spoked wheels wrapped with worn, solid rubber tires. It appeared as if it had been pulled by horses. Opening the doors on one side exposed a collection of ducks, geese, Indians and other metals targets. The targets were covered with residual paint, pitted with rust and bullet dings. These were mounted on a stiff, rusted chain track which at one time had rotated from one end of the wagon to the other. Opening the doors on the other side of the beast one was confronted by a massive iron wheel which in it's day was connected to a remote steam engine, thus moving the targets by means of a belt. Many days were spent trying to turn the obstinant wheel, but the rust was stronger than the might and determination of children. As we grew older, our fascination waned and we used less and less. The day my family moved away from the neighborhood in the late 60s, I left the circus wagon as well as my boyhood behind. I never gave it another thought. Twenty years later, while driving, I spotted the old circus wagon sitting in a junk yard amongst old cars and debris. It's glory days and mine, long gone. Boy, did that bring it all back!