Siam, Windham’s lost Elephant

By Greg Madden

I have enjoyed the Catskills for the past dozen years and in 2020 the Mountain Top became my permanent home. I have lived, worked and played to much delight in Hunter, Windham, Jewett, Elka Park and now Tannersville. Rental housing is a challenge here and therefore the USPS and their change of address form and I have become close friends.

When I found out that this month’s theme for my article was Windham, I wondered what would be of interest to you, our dedicated and loyal readers. I prayed for inspiration as I had nothing. Absolutely NOTHING!!

Well, enter local Windhamite Antonia Besculides and just like that my problem was solved, or so I thought, as the story idea kept growing in so many interesting directions. I had journeyed to Windham’s Main Street to the Tap House for something yummy to eat and to listen to my favorite local band Lizzie G and Oly. That night, Elizabeth and Olympia converted their line up into a trio by adding Tony to the mix, a talented eclectic guitar player with a funk vibe (my opinion).

As I ordered, Antonia, who I had seen at these gigs several times also was ordering and as we waited for our drinks and menu to arrive we chatted. Eventually, I asked her if she was from Windham and she told me she lived near Siam Road.

I had given a massage on Siam Road in the past and we discussed how odd a street name that was for a town in the Catskills. She agreed and then she told me why there was a road with that name. You see an elephant, cared for by the Vidbel family, named Siam went missing in the 1950’s and all of Windham went searching to find her.

After getting the green light to write this story from my editor, I met with Antonia again to get more information and to get her permission, this time at Higher Grounds for coffee. I wanted more information and to ask if I could tell our readership about our conversation of how I learned of the elusive Siam and how a community brought her home safely.

Antonia also wants to write a children’s book about the story of Siam which is in the formulation stages. When published expect to see Jen featuring it at Briars and Brambles Bookstore in Windham.

After a powerful Cafe Americano (or two) and a chat with Antonia and Nick, who owns Higher Grounds, and the ski and bike shop attached to it, I was off to find out more on this story. I stopped by to see Carol, a local realtor who I knew had more information. In fact Carol gave me so much information that another article will be written about the magic of the Vidbel family, their animals and the great charity work they do in the community and beyond. The next day I attended a Vidbel Foundation function on Siam Road and watched as a bus full of children and their families from the Candlelighters (Childhood Cancer Family Alliance) experienced the delight of amazing animals in the country. Their eyes were as big as Siam. Soon we will bring you this beautiful story.

So refocusing on our story, Siam was no ordinary elephant. She towered above the other animals, her presence was commanding, yet her eyes held a gentle wisdom that belied her immense size. She had been with the circus for over a decade, and in that time, she had become a beloved figure in Windham. Children would line up just to catch a glimpse of her, and she had a special place in the hearts of those who worked with her. But Siam had a wanderlust and the Vidbels called her a runner.

The circus was based on Siam Road, a quaint street in Windham named after the very elephant who had become its most famous resident. The name seemed almost prophetic, as though the road had always been destined to host such a grand creature. Siam was a regular feature in the parades that wound through the town, her massive feet thudding rhythmically against the ground as she moved with a grace that seemed impossible for an animal of her size. People would cheer and wave as she passed, and she would often lift her trunk in response, almost as if she were acknowledging each and every one of them.

But one crisp October morning in 1957, as the town was waking up,a strange sense of unease began to spread. The circus grounds, usually bustling with activity, were eerily quiet. Workers moved about with worried expressions, their usual cheerful banter replaced by hushed whispers. Siam was missing.

It is unheard of for an elephant to just disappear, especially one as large and as well-loved as Siam. The circus workers had last seen her in her enclosure the night before. But now, there was no sign of Siam. Her massive footprints seemed to vanish at the edge of the circus grounds, as if she had been spirited away by some unseen force.

The news spread like wildfire through Windham. Everyone had a theory about what had happened. Some speculated that Siam had been stolen, perhaps by a rival circus. Others whispered about the possibility of a curse, an ancient retribution for keeping such a majestic creature in captivity. There were even those who believed that Siam, with her wise eyes and gentle demeanor, had simply decided to leave, seeking out some unknown destination in the Catskill Mountains.

Search parties were organized, and soon the entire town was scouring the surrounding woods and hills for any sign of the missing elephant. The dense forest that bordered Windham was a maze of towering trees and thick underbrush, and it seemed almost impossible that something as large as an elephant could disappear into it without a trace. Yet, for days the searchers returned empty-handed, their hope dwindling with each passing hour.

Days passed, and still, there was no sign of Siam. Local media, Life Magazine and the New York Times covered this story like the Vanderbilt baby kidnapping. The circus grounds, usually so vibrant and full of life, now felt like a ghost town. The animals and performers went through their routines mechanically, their hearts heavy with worry. The big top, once a place of joy and wonder, now stood as a stark reminder of what had been lost.

But then, on the morning of the twelfth day, something miraculous happened. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a golden glow over the town, when a distant trumpet echoed through the still air. It was a sound that everyone in Windham knew well—the unmistakable call of an elephant. Hearts leapt with hope as people rushed out of their homes and towards the sound.

The trumpet came again, louder this time, and soon the town’s residents were sprinting towards the source. The sound led them to the edge of the forest, to a small clearing that had been hidden from view. And there, standing in the center of the clearing, was Siam.

The sight of her was almost too much to believe. She looked as regal as ever, her massive frame covered in a fine layer of dust, her eyes bright and alert. But there was something different about her, something that the townspeople couldn’t quite place. She seemed more at peace, as though she had found something out there in the wilderness that had changed everything. Those of us who live and visit the Catskills understand this.

The Vidbel’s patriarch was an elephant whisperer and coaxed her home where rum was added to her food and drink to warm her up.

The circus workers were overjoyed as they approached Siam, tears streaming down their faces. They couldn’t understand how she had survived out in the wild for three days, let alone how she had managed to find her way back. But none of that mattered now. Their beloved elephant had returned, and that was all that counted.

As they led her back to the circus, the townspeople followed, their cheers and laughter filling the air. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from Windham, and the joy that had been missing for the past three days came flooding back in an overwhelming wave. The big top, which had seemed so forlorn just hours before, now stood as a beacon of hope and happiness once again.

In the days that followed, the story of Siam’s disappearance and miraculous return became the stuff of legend.

People would talk about it in hushed tones, each telling a slightly different version of the tale. Some said that Siam had gone on a pilgrimage to some sacred place deep in the forest, while others believed that she had been guided by the spirits of the land. There were even those who claimed that Siam had encountered a group of wild elephants, and that they had imparted some ancient wisdom to her before he returned to the circus.

Whatever the truth was, one thing was certain: Siam was different. There was a calmness about her that hadn’t been there before, a quiet strength that made those around her feel at ease. She no longer seemed like just an elephant in a circus; she seemed like a guardian, a protector of something much larger than herself.

Siam’s disappearance and return became a defining moment for the town of Windham. It was a story that would be passed down through generations, a tale of mystery, magic, and the enduring bond between a town and its most beloved elephant. And even though the circus eventually moved on, leaving Siam Road and Windham behind, the memory of those three days when Siam was missing would live on forever in the hearts of those who had witnessed the miracle of her return.

In the years that followed, the legend of Siam grew, becoming a symbol of hope and resilience for the people of Windham. And though the circus may be gone, the spirit of Siam lives on, a reminder that sometimes, even the most unlikely of heroes can leave a lasting legacy.

That legacy lives on in the Vidbel Foundation and we will revisit that story in the months ahead.

Greg Madden (IlluminatingWellness.care) is certified in the ancient healing arts of energy medicine, Tui-Na Medical Massage Therapist, BioPhoton Light Therapy (Biontology.com) and is a freelance consultant specializing in feature writing, marketing, public relations, branding and broadcasting.