BACKGROUND:
The Flying Wallendas daredevil circus group remains
best-known for performing death-defying stunts without a safety
net. They were first known as The Great Wallendas, but the
current name was coined by the press in the 1940s and has stayed
since.
Karl Wallenda was born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1905 to an old
circus family, and began performing at the age of six. While still
in his teens he answered an ad for a "hand balancer with courage."
His employer, Louis Weitzman, taught him the trade. In 1922 Karl
put together his own act with his brother Herman, Joseph Geiger,
and teenager Helen Kreis, who eventually became his wife.
The act toured Europe for several years, performing some amazing
stunts. When John Ringling saw them perform in Cuba, he quickly
hired them to join his Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey
Circus. In 1928, they debuted at New York's Madison Square Garden,
performing without a net since it had been lost in transit. The
crowd gave them a standing ovation.
During a performance in Akron, Ohio, the group slipped off the
wire, but escaped unscathed. The next day, a newspaper reporter who
witnessed the accident stated, "The Wallendas fell so gracefully
that it seemed as if they were flying", thus coining the term
The Flying Wallendas.
In 1944, while performing in Hartford, Connecticut, a fire
erupted and killed over 168 people, although none of the group were
hurt. During the following years, Karl developed such jaw-dropping
acts as the seven-person chair pyramid. The group continued
performing until 1962. That year, while performing in Detroit, the
front man on the wire faltered and the pyramid collapsed. Three men
fell to the ground, killing two of them. Karl injured his pelvis,
and his adopted son was paralyzed from the waist down.
Altough other tragedies plagued the group, Karl pressed on. He
repeated his famous pyramid act in 1963 and 1977, and then
continued with a smaller group and also performed solo acts. On
March 22, 1978, during a promotional walk in San Juan, Puerto Rico,
Karl fell from the wire and died at the age of 73.
Several branches of the Wallendas have continued with various
acts, comprised mostly of Karl Wallenda's grandchildren. These
groups still perform regularly and have achieved recognition in the
Guinness Book of Records.
THE CACHE:
You'll be visiting the recently-renovated Polly Williams Park,
where you will be looking for a camouflaged M&M Minis container
holding a logscroll. Once you have spotted the container, you must
perform your own circus act to retrieve it. Bring your own pen to
sign the log. Watch your step!
 No Wheelchair Access
 Less than 500 ft. from
car  Climbing?
 Beware of Muggles!
 Bring a pen or pencil
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