“Come one! Come all to the biggest show on earth!”
That was the barker’s cry along the midway or in front of the big top at a carnival or circus of the past.
Just as many of us flocked to the Delaware County Fairgrounds recently, local families have converged onto large green spaces to enjoy similar entertainment for more than a century and a half.
In decades past, when a circus tent went up on the outskirts of town, people began to anticipate the upcoming show and made plans to attend.
Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a cavalcade of performers, wagons and exotic animals would wind its way through the village or city leading the local citizenry out to where an empty lot had been transformed into a sprawling, fanciful world under the canvas big top.
During the hard times of the Great Depression of the 1930s, a visit to the circus, carnival or even the county fair provided an especially joyful escape from the harsh drudgery and worries of daily life.
For people who seldom traveled far from home, these colorful exhibitions brought the wonders of the world to town.
Traveling carnivals and circuses often pumped money into the local economy and sometimes offered temporary employment for residents desperate for work.
Residents of central Ohio may have enjoyed more opportunities for this type of entertainment as it was home to more than one large circus.
The Sells Brothers Circus was founded in Dublin, Ohio, in 1872. By 1880, this circus required 32 railway cars to haul equipment, performers and exotic animals, including elephants. The Sells Brothers Circus even featured Ohio native, Annie Oakley.
At Gallant Farm, we portray life on a central Ohio farm in the 1930s. One of our popular annual events is based on a feature from carnivals and circuses of the past.
“Fun Under a Paper Moon” combines simple games and prizes with the opportunity to pose on a cut-out of a crescent moon for a photo.
In the early decades of the 20th century, few people owned a camera and a sitting at a professional studio was expensive. So many took advantage of the “Paper Moon” or “Man-in-the-Moon” photo booths at fairs and carnivals. For as little as a nickel, one could obtain a photograph with their loved ones.
Although many of the iconic shows like Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey, have disbanded and retired their elephants and other animals, circuses still mesmerize audiences today.
Contemporary circuses combine amazing acrobatics with music and technology to continue the long tradition of entertainment.
For more information to our local tie to circus-life, check out the Delaware Historical Society’s program October 20th about Delaware native and OWU Graduate F. Beverly Kelley and his remarkable work with Ringling Brothers and his book, It Was Better than Work.
