Elephants in Wheeling

Elephants in Wheeling. THE CIRCUS IS COMING!. With its ideal location at the confluence of the Ohio River, the B&O Railroad, and the National Road, Wheeling was a regular stop on many national circus routes. The railroad served as a major means of transportation-circus groups like Barnum and Bailey and Ringling Brothers routinely stopped here to perform for thousands of people. , , 1 An Island Playground , Train stations were in downtown Wheeling but the circus final destination was Wheeling Island Tents were set up at either Bridge Park, on the western side of the Island along Zane Street, or on the state fairgrounds at the southernmost end of the Island. , Elephants and other animals were unloaded from the trains and led from the stations across the Suspension Bridge and Steel Bridge to the Island, often stopping to take a cool bath in the Ohio River. , , 2 The Street Pageant , Since the circus was advertised in the papers for weeks, and tickets sold at some downtown shops, the circus trains were met by eager spectators to watch the unloading of supplies and exotic animals. Once tents were pitched and performers and animals settled in, the street pageants began. Often beginning first thing in the morning, the entertainers paraded through the streets of Wheeling until showtime. , , 3 Pondering Pachyderms , The word "pachyderm comes from the Greek word "pachydermose" which means "thick-skinned." Elephants are the largest land animals in the world and one of the smartest! Female Asian elephants are often used in circuses because they are smaller and easier to tame than their African elephant cousins. , , The Heritage Park and Sculpture Garden was made possible by the City of Wheeling. The animal sculptures in this park were created by Jeff Forster and funded through the generosity of Flip and Gary West