It consisted of congregated metal buildings painted in a circus theme and at one time held live circus shows. Started in early 50's it lasted a decade before it closed
and rotted to point the land owner tore what was left of it down around 2011. when they rebuilt the US422 and Pa 38 Interchange
I remember as a kid riding pass the brightly painted yet fading metal buildings and always wondered about the abandoned place and at one point the Pittsburgh Press ran an article all about it and how it was going to partly disappear with the realignment of an intersection.
Seems a family got the idea to run the place as a road side attraction and in fact they had real circus type animal acts people could see but with ever increasing costs to keep the place running and ever increasing rules on maintaining the animals and fact insurance carriers no longer wanted to write policy's for such places they slowly all started falling away and closing. Now there where plenty of rumors a wild animal got loose and killed or maimed some one but this was never the case with Circus town a panther did get loose one time and was quickly recaptured .
How ever a lion did get loose at Luna park in Pittsburgh Oakland section which was one of the things condemning that park.
But again details on the place and pictures are very hard to find.
These are just 2 of many road side attractions now lost to memory and now mentioned in old tales and rumors of what once was.
While many road side attractions had a very seedy notorious side these 2 did not appear to be so.
Interesting to read your post about Circus Town. Thought you might be interested in seeing a photo of an aerial view taken in 1965 of Circus Town, it looks deserted.
ReplyDeletehttps://vintageaerial.com/photos/pennsylvania/butler/1965/KBU/144/37
Any idea who owned Old Mcdonalds Farm?
ReplyDeleteIf this is the "Old McDonald's Farm" I knew growing up,My brother would take me there and sometimes Mom and Dad would take us. You started by entering the road and passing under a billboard (?) figure of the farmer. I remember a large barn, fake cows you can milk (water), live chickens with fake eggs you can gather and a massive clydesdale horse the attendant would lift you up on to sit for a little bit. (I was maybe 4 or 5 at the time so -ancient history-. There were paths you could follow back in the woods where there would be play places: a few slides in one place (kinda rusty and they gave us waxed paper to sit on to slide. . .it worked somewhat, go figure) Maybe a climbing place in the next spot, not sure if there was like a sand box place. . .? but it seemed like a long walk where you'd come back around to the front/main area. I'm sure they had animals to feed and a fun souvenir shop. We still have the shot glasses my brother bought from there. I remember a tiny little wooden and brass train that had it's own box it came in from there. Wish I could find another one. With as many people who attended I'm surprised that there is so little info or pictures about this place! Kinda sad to drive past now and not see the farmer any more.
ReplyDelete