Tom Jaynes
The James E. Strates Shows - America's Favorite Carnival Midway
The James E. Strates Shows Carnival Midway. Strates Shows has been number one for fun for more than 80 years. Based in Orlando, Florida, James E. Strates Shows provides amusement rides, games of skill, tasty foods and merchandise concessions to fairs and festivals throughout the United States. Strates Shows was founded in 1923 by James E. Strates and remains family owned and operated today. James E. Strates Shows' season gets started in early spring each year and runs through November.
I went out today to take a look at the Strates coach cars, where the people who travel with Strates bed down, when they have time. Coach after coach after coach, they strung down the tracks till out of sight. But something wasn't right. Where were all the old faded red coaches? The names of the towns they visited each year was painted on the side in gold? Of course, our coach was "Anderson, SC".
Today there were no names. And it didn't look like the carnival. I stood there for quite awhile, thinking, remembering, and reliving. But these bright beautiful blue coaches will take awhile to sink in. I probably won't bother next year.....nothing to see there. I can see blue any time.
Jerry and I, when we were kids, never missed seeing the train come in with the James E. Strates Shows. I don't remember when we started watching, but I'm pretty sure I was a pre-teen age; a good guess is I was 11, and that would make Jerry about 6-7 years old.
We wouldn't miss it for the world. In those days it was a steam engine that did the job, and the whistle pierced the night air as they came that last half mile or so. Seems it was always dark by the time they arrived. Of course Jerry and I had been hanging around there since right after lunch.
We would try to guess what everything was as they let it roll down the ramp and off the flatcar. They were all there; rides, and amusements, games, Ferris wheel, carousel (Merry Go Round), caterpillar, Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Rocket. Freak shows, and the Girlie Shows, Penny Arcade. We watched everything come down off the flatcars and rolled up the street a couple of miles, to Cater's Park, destination for the Fair. That's where the fair was every year.
Once I get into a "how it used to be" mood, I could write and write, but not here, and not now.
-end-
One aside here: We also watched the circus unload. It was neat, because the elephants helped them unload everything. They also pulled the animal cages all the way to the fair grounds. There's a really good story about this, but that's for another time.
The James E. Strates Shows - America's Favorite Carnival Midway
The James E. Strates Shows Carnival Midway. Strates Shows has been number one for fun for more than 80 years. Based in Orlando, Florida, James E. Strates Shows provides amusement rides, games of skill, tasty foods and merchandise concessions to fairs and festivals throughout the United States. Strates Shows was founded in 1923 by James E. Strates and remains family owned and operated today. James E. Strates Shows' season gets started in early spring each year and runs through November.
I went out today to take a look at the Strates coach cars, where the people who travel with Strates bed down, when they have time. Coach after coach after coach, they strung down the tracks till out of sight. But something wasn't right. Where were all the old faded red coaches? The names of the towns they visited each year was painted on the side in gold? Of course, our coach was "Anderson, SC".
Today there were no names. And it didn't look like the carnival. I stood there for quite awhile, thinking, remembering, and reliving. But these bright beautiful blue coaches will take awhile to sink in. I probably won't bother next year.....nothing to see there. I can see blue any time.
Jerry and I, when we were kids, never missed seeing the train come in with the James E. Strates Shows. I don't remember when we started watching, but I'm pretty sure I was a pre-teen age; a good guess is I was 11, and that would make Jerry about 6-7 years old.
We wouldn't miss it for the world. In those days it was a steam engine that did the job, and the whistle pierced the night air as they came that last half mile or so. Seems it was always dark by the time they arrived. Of course Jerry and I had been hanging around there since right after lunch.
We would try to guess what everything was as they let it roll down the ramp and off the flatcar. They were all there; rides, and amusements, games, Ferris wheel, carousel (Merry Go Round), caterpillar, Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Rocket. Freak shows, and the Girlie Shows, Penny Arcade. We watched everything come down off the flatcars and rolled up the street a couple of miles, to Cater's Park, destination for the Fair. That's where the fair was every year.
Once I get into a "how it used to be" mood, I could write and write, but not here, and not now.
-end-
One aside here: We also watched the circus unload. It was neat, because the elephants helped them unload everything. They also pulled the animal cages all the way to the fair grounds. There's a really good story about this, but that's for another time.