Baraboo in Sauk County is often called “Circus City” because Ringling Brothers saw the city as its home from about 1884 - 1918. The Ringling Brothers gave their first official circus performance here and made the city their winter headquarters. The Circus World Museum features many historical remnants of the Ringing Circus and also holds live shows.  Baraboo is one of the cities in the country where many varied commercial entities surround the courthouse in the center. One of those is the Ringling Theater, “America’s Prettiest Playhouse.” It opened its doors in 1915, has been restored, and now hosts plays, cinemas, and orchestras. There is a lot to do in the city and in the rural areas around it. The Baraboo River winds its way through town and can cause flooding headaches, rising as much as 10 ft. when the rains come down and snow melts.