The Friends of the Charles & Henry Ringling Estate, is a nonprofit group established to improve and protect the Ringling estate off Eighth Street in Baraboo.Ā Ā The estate that sits on the corner 8th and Ash St. is the only home built and lived inĀ by two separate Ringling Brothers of circus fame.Ā Ā Ā The one-acre estate includes the main house, which operates as a bed-and-breakfast; the carriage house; a cottage; and a barn.
The non-profit hopes to run the haunted house for two years, then convert the carriage house into an event center. This will require replacing the 1901 buildingās original wiring, and adding bathrooms and a kitchen.
The Ringling home and surrounding property was owned by the circus family for a century before Koehler and Hearley bought it in 2015 and opened their bed-and-breakfast. The Colonial Revival home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Koehler and Hearley have become active participants in local affairs, helping to launch events such as the downtown Cocoa Crawl and First Night celebration. Their short-term goal in hosting a haunted house for young adults is to create an entertaining Halloween event: Their long-term goal is to create a place for all types of community events.
