The Wheel

In cities across America, the circus parade coming to town was one of the biggest and most anticipated events of the year!

The primary form of transportation for parades and circuses during the Golden Era was the wagon.  Circus wagons were referred to as "Rocks of Gibraltar on Wheels".  They were deliberately over engineered to withstand abuse.  A circus had to move into town in the morning and move out again that night, regardless of conditions.  So wagons were built to function in the worst possible conditions.  Even elegant parade wagons were strong and rugged.  Their handsome looks hid the massive construction of the wheels, undercarriage and frame.  If for instance a heavy wagon could not be moved off a muddy lot, one, two, three, or even four eight-horse teams would be used to pull it free!  The wagon would be plastered with mud but it held together and journeyed to the next show where it proudly moved down Main Street clean and splendid.

Fun Fact:  Wagon builders catered to a variety of industries and circuses were merely one of them.  In America, such industries were dominated by delivery services such as dairy and produce.  Consequently, American circus wagon wheel makers fashioned thick, sturdy wheels that could handle rough transit.  European wagon wheels, on the other hand, were crafted to be larger and skinnier.

More trivia:  Often times, circuses received goods from a community on loan and it was not uncommon for the troupe to pack it up and haul out in the middle of the night, evading their dues.  Thus, it became common practice for the local sheriff to confiscate a nut off of a wagon wheel, holding it ransom until the entertainers paid up.  "Making the nut" came to mean making enough money to successfully pay off their fees, then the wagon nut would be returned and the crew could continue onto the next town without their wagon falling apart.

Fun Engineering:  The Sunburst is one example of wheel design.  Webs of wood were fitted into grooves cut into the spokes.  This method was the generally accepted way to decorate wheels.  The webs were not vulnerable to damage.

Wheels ranged generally from 28" to 52" in diameter.

The width of the tire was from 2" to 8" and was 1/4" to 1" thick!