This Circus collection was donated by the Brandmiller Family in memory of Herman and Elsie Brandmiller, lifetime circus fans. Since they were both born in Ohio we feel they would be delighted that the collection is located at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and will be available to all that love and enjoy the history of the Circus and Circus’ part in the making of Americana.

Herman Brandmiller was born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1907. He graduated from Harvard University in 1929 with a BA and was employed by The Boy Scouts of America for 40 years. In 1930, Herman married Elsie A. Parsons. Herman was a lifelong circus fan and drew his final breath July 1, 2000, thinking of attending a Circus.

How does one become such a devoted Circus fan? For starters, you need a good story!     

Herman’s father was a judge in Youngstown, Ohio and one incident in particular led to Herman’s love of a Circus. The John Robinson Circus had come to town and after setting up the ‘lot’, maybe even after a performance, with time on their hands, the Circus employees were in the back lot , gambling. The police raided the back lot and arrested everyone that was gambling. The gamblers were brought before Judge Brandmiller. The first question asked was: “Did the police have a search warrant?” the response was negative. Judge Brandmiller ruled that the back lot of the Circus is considered the circus employees' home and by raiding the back lot, the police invaded the privacy of the employee’s homes. The next day the family received tickets for the Circus and tickets continued to arrive every day that the Circus was in town. It became evident that the ‘Circus Judge’s’ fairness was spoken of between circuses, because as the years went by, any Circus that came to town, sent passes to the Brandmiller family. This is how Herman became devoted to Circus.

Throughout the ensuing years, any day a Circus was within 200 miles of Herman and Elsie’s home was a day to be spent with friends. They would arrive on the lot, early, not to just see the show, but to help wherever needed – wardrobe, shopping for supplies or animal feed, selling tickets. The smaller circuses benefited most, as Herman would buy hams, turkeys, or beef roasts on sale and store them in his freezer. When the Circus came to the area, the meats would be loaded into the car and away they would go – the cook tent was Herman’s destination.

Herman had many nicknames, but at the Circus, he was known as ‘The Apple Man’. In the 1950’s Herman and Elsie brought 75 acres in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The property had an established apple orchard as well as plums, pears, peaches, berries of all kinds. Also there was room for a huge vegetable garden that produced sweet corn, asparagus, beans, sweet peas, broccoli, cabbage, etc. This bounty was shared with the Circuses that traveled through the area. But Herman’s trademark was the apples. With modern day storage facilities, he was able to supply apples from Fall ‘til Spring.

Herman did not accumulate this collection all on his own. He had help from friends and family. Everyone who knew Herman and Elsie became involved in supplying the ever-growing Circus Collection.

Circus Fans Association of America is an organization that is working hard to keep the Circus a part of the American Dream. Herman was 1977-1978 president of this association. We invite everyone to spend a day at the Circus, spend a warm summer day on a Circus Lot, see a Circus in a tent, and maybe you will get the same feeling that Herman and Elsie got from the Circus.

                        Enjoy your visit to the collection!

                                                Bob and Alison Brandmiller

History of the Brandmiller Circus Collection