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The Birth of Circuses
The circus began in the late 18th century in England by Philip Astley. The first performance of a circus is believed to have been held on January, 9, 1768. Astley opened Paris’s first circus, the Amphithéâtre Anglois, in 1782. In 1793 Charles Hughes brought his circus show to the Court of Catherine the Great in St. Petersburg, and J. B. Ricketts opened the first circus in the U.S. in Philadelphia. In 1825, Joshua Purdy Brown replaced the traditional wooden construction with a full canvas tent. -
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Ringling Brothers Part 1
The arrival of P. T. Barnum transformed the trade and Al, Otto, Alf T. , Charles, and John the five Ringling brothers created a spectacle of their own. For more than a century, “Circus Day” would crash into everyday life as colorful and brash, then disappear and leave many dreaming of another life. The circus grew alongside the country itself and evolved into an enormous entertainment that would unite a far-flung nation of disconnected communities and dazzle Americans and the world. -
Brown Purchases an Elephant
After the strong reception of Pepin’s work, Joshuah Purdy Brown stepped onto the scene with Purdy, Welch, & Company. Brown purchased a small elephant that he showcased around parts of upstate New York, receiving large and enthusiastic crowds. He soon began adding other exotic animals to his lineup. He took it a step further when he started training them in various circus performances. Purdy is also the first to order a canvas tent for his circus. -
Bailey & Farmers
Hachaliah Bailey exhibited the first African elephant in the U.S. Following this a group of 135 enterprising farmers and menagerie-owners from Somers created the Zoological Institute, a trust that featured thirteen menageries and three affiliated circuses. With that, the unique character of the American circus emerged. This approach was a radical shift from how circuses were performed in Europe - most were owned by small families but America, it was destined to become a thriving industry. -
Barnum Purchases Scudder’s American Museum
P. T. Barnum purchased Scudder’s American Museum in New York City. This run-down, circus-like exhibit featured odd figures and items collected over several years. He renamed the museum Barnum’s American Museum and began offering tours to curious New Yorkers. -
P.T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum
Former museum promoter and impresario Phineas Taylor Barnum, in association with circus entrepreneur William Cameron Coup, launched the P.T. Barnum's Museum, Menagerie & Circus. Circuses began to grow in the United States and American William Cameron Coup dramatically changed the concept of the circus when he was the first to introduce circus trains to transport the shows around the country. This practice still continued until the decline of circuses in 2017. He also introduced a second ring. -
Barnum & Bailey Merge
For a decade, Barnum toured the entirety of the United States, bringing his circus performances and freak shows to people in countless major cities. For years, Barnum dreamed of touring his circus abroad. It was a goal he worked toward until his death in 1891. After Barnum’s death, his circus merged with that of ringmaster James Anthony Bailey. With this merger came the opportunity to travel abroad. -
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Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth Take on Europe
Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth toured Europe. The troupe’s use of trains for transportation and big top tents left an impression on European circus owners. American circus owners had combined traditional circus acts with animals and the additional freak shows to build a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional performance. European circuses followed and by the turn of the century, most circuses worldwide supported these features. -
Ringling Bros. Buys Barnum & Bailey’s
In 1919, Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth was bought by the Ringling Bros. Circus. By the mid-1900s, big top tents were virtually gone.Circus performances were held in permanent venues like concert halls and sports stadiums. After deciding it was too difficult to run the shows independently, Charles and John created the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey combined shows. The show made its debut at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 29th, 1919. -
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Ringling Brothers Part 2
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey merged to create a circus of more than 1,100 people and 1,000 animals. In an era when women were still fighting for the right to vote, women circus performers stepped to the forefront of the suffrage movement. But the circus limped through the Great Depression against competition from radio and movies, and, despite a brief resurgence, a catastrophic fire in 1944 marked the beginning of the end. In 1956, the big top was pulled down for good. -
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Ringling Bros. Legacy
The Ringling Bros. was purchased by Irvin Feld. It became a public company in 1969. It was then acquired by Mattel Inc. in 1971. Feld remained president of Ringling Bros, until his death in 1984, leaving Kenneth his 35-year-old son in full charge. By 1989 the company name had been changed from Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows to Irvin Feld & Kenneth Feld Productions. Kenneth Feld owned 82 percent of Irvin Feld & Kenneth Feld Productions in 1994. -