Search Strategies & Selected Articles

The links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in Chronicling America. You can explore the topic of "circuses" further using the following search strategies:

Use the following terms in combination, proximity, or as a phrase:
circus, circus day, circus parade, circus train, pavilion circus, John Bill Ricketts, P.T. Barnum, Jumbo, Barnum & Bailey, Ringling Bros.
It is important to use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results.

Selected Articles from Chronicling America

"Ricketts's Equestrian Circus"
Gazette of the United States and Daily Evening Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA), October 4, 1794, Page 3, Image 3, Col. 5.
"At Mr. Rickets's Circus"
Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA), February 16, 1798, Page 2, Image 2, Col. 5.
"Something New in Wilmington"
American Watchman and Delaware Advertiser (Wilmington, DE), November 18, 1825, Page 3, Image 3, Col. 1 & 3.
"The Circus Coming!"
Glasgow Weekly Times (Glasgow, MO), April 29, 1858, Page 3, Image 3, Col. 1, 4-5.
"Madison Square Garden"
New-York Tribune (New York, NY), March 24, 1881, Page 3, Image 3, Col. 6.
"Jumbo's Arrival in Town"
The Sun (New York, NY), April 10, 1882, Page 1, Image 1, Col. 4-5.
"Jumbo"
Orleans County Monitor (Barton, VT), May 15, 1882, Page 1, Image 1, Col. 4-5.
"The Giant Elephant. Personal Reminiscences by His Keeper, Matthew Scott"
The Grenada Gazette (Grenada, MS), December 19, 1885, Page 2, Image 2, Col. 6-7.
"Barnum and Bailey's The Only Big Show"
Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, NE), July 24, 1892, Page 9, Image 9, Col. 1-7.
"46 Dead; 125 Are Injured, Circus Train Smashed by Empty M.C. Troop Special"
The Lake County Times (Hammond, IN), June 22, 1918, Saturday and Weekly Edition, Page 1, Image 1, Col. 1-7.
"Engineer Was Asleep at Throttle"
The Lake County Times (Hammond, IN), June 24, 1918, Page 1, Image 1, Col. 1-7.
"Impatiently Await Great New Circus"
The Lexington Intelligencer (Lexington, MO), August 29, 1919, Page 1, Image 1, Col. 3.
"Great Super-Circus Biggest in World"
The Daily Ardmoreite (Ardmore, OK), September 9, 1919, Page 5, Image 5, Col. 1.

Circus: Topics in Chronicling America

Search Strategies & Selected Articles

Selected Articles from Chronicling America