BARABOO, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Circus World, a National Historic Landmark located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, is proudly announcing the return of four circus wagons, including the famed Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon. 

The historic wagons were last on display at Circus World in 2013, and they join more than 250 other historic wagons housed at the site, which is home to the world's largest collection of vintage circus wagons. 

Here's some background on the wagons making a return: 

• The Bell Wagon, a 19th-century innovation that boasts nine bells weighing roughly 4,300 pounds. This storied wagon was commissioned by the Ringling Brothers for the 1892 circus season. It is the first-known wagon specially created for their iconic traveling show and is believed to be the last remaining circus bell wagon in the world. The Wisconsin-made marvel was built and assembled by the Baraboo-based H. Moeller & Sons Wagon Works.
  
   The intricate carvings were crafted by Milwaukee Ornamental Carving Co., and the bells created by Centennial Bell Foundry of Milwaukee. The imposing wagon measures 18 feet 5 inches in length, 7 feet 5 inches in width, and stands 10 feet tall, with a total weight of 10,380 pounds. Unique among circus wagons, it allows an operator seated at the back to play its bells, which for decades resonated through parade routes and touring shows with melodies such as My Old Kentucky Home, Rock of Ages, and Nearer My God to Thee.
  
  Remarkably, the Bell Wagon has been owned by the same show for 133 years, the longest single ownership of a wagon in circus history. Irvin Feld acquired the wagon with his purchase of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1967, and the Feld organization first loaned the wagon to Circus World from 1984 to 2013, sponsoring a complete restoration of the wagon in 1985 while it was onsite in Baraboo.

• The Hagenbeck-Wallace Lion’s Bride Tableau Wagon, built in 1905 by the Cincinnati-based Bode Wagon Co. for the Carl Hagenbeck Trained Animal Show. It remained with the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus as a lead bandwagon until 1925 and was later acquired by John Ringling as part of the American Circus Corporation in 1929. It made a notable appearance in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ 1945 War Bond Parade in New York.

• The John Robinson Bandwagon No. 1, often referred to as the Lion and Gladiator Wagon, is believed to have been built by Sullivan and Eagle Wagon Co. of Peru, Indiana, for Howe’s Great London Circus. It was in continuous service from 1911 to 1925, and it became part of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey collection when John Ringling acquired the American Circus Corporation. This wagon was also featured in the 1945 War Bond Parade in New York and in the spectacle Alice in Circus Wonderland.

• The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Hippo Cage Wagon No. 73, which is believed to have been built in 1903 by an unknown builder. The wagon housed black-tailed deer for most of its time in use, but it also later held lions and was retrofitted for a pygmy hippo in 1943.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome the iconic Ringling Bros. Bell Wagon back home to Baraboo, where its incredible journey began,” said Georgia Stephenson, Operations Manager, Circus World. “We can’t wait for guests to experience the grandeur of the Bell Wagon and the three other historic wagons that returned together. Each wagon contributed to the spectacular story of the American circus that we celebrate every day at Circus World.”

According to a news release, the historic wagons were transported from Florida to Wisconsin by Baraboo-based Deppe Enterprises, a longtime supporter of Circus World. Circus World Museum, Inc. also contributed to the transfer costs.

Visitors can view them in the Deppe Wagon Pavilion when Circus World opens for the season beginning April 21. 

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