Dode Fisk
Wisconsin is called the mother of circuses. Over 100 circuses have originated here. One of the earliest shows was the Dode Fisk's "Great Combined Show".
Dode Fisk was born June 14, 1859 in Wonewoc, Wisconsin. His father owned a racetrack called Lone Rock Farm. Dode grew up around horses and would take horses to show with his dad at fairs. His contacts from the fairs and his training with horses at the race track led him to exhibiting his first act the Dode Fisk Society Circus.
Dode traveled with a trained horse named Decryon. Dode showed him and sometimes pitched him to a light up horse and buggy, and rode him around town. Unfortunately, Decryon died in a train crash and he had to train a new horse. His new horse was named Bobby and he opened the Dode Fisk Great Combined Show. The first performance was in Wonewoc on June 15, 1906. Bobby was a special horse, he could talk, walk on his knees, dance, add numbers, make change from a cash register and even tell time. He was called "the most educated horse in the world".
By 1909 Dode Fisk had a two ring four pole big top, 25 train cars, an elephant named Ding, two camels, a zebra, an ox, a lion, a seal monkeys, baboons, and several cages of exotic birds. In 1910, the circus traveled 10,856 miles visiting Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakota's, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. In Texas alone, they visited 59 cities.
The animals were always brought back home in the winters and stored at the racetrack. There are many accounts of kids and adults from Wonewoc telling stories of how they loved to visit the barns and watch the animals eating or being trained.
Sources: The White Tops magazine Jan-Feb 1953 volume 26 number 1
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