UPDATED Thursday, October 9, 2008 --- 12:50 p.m.

As a result of the investigation into the suspicious fire at the Circus World Museum, the Baraboo Police Department has arrested two males. Arrested were a 16-year-old juvenile male and 20-year-old Kory Evert, both reside in Baraboo. Evert and the juvenile male have been arrested for the following violations…

ss.943.02 Arson
ss.943.01 Criminal Damage to Property
ss.943.14 Criminal Trespass to Property

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UPDATE Posted Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 -- 4:30 pm
By Zac Schultz

Baraboo: The Circus World Museum was struck by arsonists and vandals who spray painted racist graffiti on a trailer.

They narrowly avoided a catastrophe when a police officer saw the fire before it got out of control.

There's a lot of irreplaceable history sitting in the Circus World Museum's restoration building. "That's the only Pawnee Bill that was ever made," says museum Executive Director Steve Freese, pointing at a wagon undergoing some work. "It's not like you can go and buy a replacement when it's gone."

Freese is relieved it's all still here. Early Monday morning, around 1 am, vandals struck the museum grounds.

Freese says they had nine fiberglass clown garbage can tops lined up outside, waiting to be worked on. An arsonist set them on fire, and nearly burned down the whole building. "It's where they threw the gasoline on and lit it on fire and it got hot enough, the tin popped out and the fire went up inside, they pulled all the insulation out."

Baraboo Police alerted the fire department. "An officer on patrol observed heavy smoke and an orange glow near the back buildings of the Circus World Museum," says Lt. Mark Schauf.

What they found nearby added insult to injury. Inside a trailer the vandals had spraypainted a swastika and the words mein kampf, which refer to a racist book writeen by Adolf Hitler. "This is really very disturbing, that they would be doing that here," says Freese.

Baraboo Police say vandals have struck all over the city, but they don't know if it's the same group. "Being able to put them all together at this point is difficult to say," says Schauf.

Freese says for now, they're just happy they still have a building. "It could have been a catastrophe bigger than we've had in the past."

If you have any information about this case you can contact the Baraboo Police Department at 608 355 2720.

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UPDATED Monday, October 6, 2008 --- 10:30 p.m.

BARABOO, Wis. (AP) --- Police are investigating a fire and graffiti at the state Historical Society's Circus World Museum.

Police Lt. Rob Sinden said the fire that burned a corner of the C.P. Fox Wagon Restoration Building was suspicious and "not a natural fire."

A police officer noticed the fire shortly after 1 a.m. Monday, and firefighters extinguished it.

Circus World Museum Executive Director Steve Freese said it appeared someone dumped gasoline on garbage cans and lit them. The blaze did not get inside the building, where antique circus wagons are being restored for next year's Great Circus Parade in Milwaukee.

Freese said someone also got access to a trailer and spray painted a swastika and the words "Mein Kampf," the antisemitic, racist political treatise by Adolph Hitler.

Freese said vandals have hit the museum off and on since June.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

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Monday, October 6, 2008 --- 3:50 p.m.

Press Release from Baraboo Police:

On October 6, 2008 shortly after 1:00am a Baraboo Police Officer observed black smoke coming from a building located on the 400 block of Lynn Street.

Upon closer investigation the officer did observe flames on the Southwest exterior of the building and summoned the Baraboo Fire Department who extinguished the fire.

The incident is currently being investigated by the Baraboo Police Department as a “suspicious fire”. The building is owned and operated by the Circus World Museum.

Anyone with information on this, or any crime, please contact the City of Baraboo Police Department at 355-2720.