The Circus is Coming to Lorain – Summer 1901

The curtain came down wistfully on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus last month, after a run of 146 years. It's still kind of hard to believe.

So it's a good time to celebrate some circus nostalgia and post the ad above, which ran in the Lorain Daily Democrat on July 1, 1901. It trumpets the impending arrival of the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus on July 17th.

The ad features great artwork and typography, as well as a nice roll call of the current acts.

Part of the fun of a circus visit was the "Grand Free Street Parade," also mentioned in the ad.

According to this website, the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus in its early years was a major competitor of P. T. Barnum and Ringling Brothers. Ringling Brothers later acquired ownership of the circus, which continued to tour under its own name until 1911.

Here's a nice gallery of Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus posters from various online sources. Two of the acts featured on the posters – Captain Woodward's Sea Lions, and Ryan, Weitzel & Zorella – were listed on the Daily Democrat ad.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Madame Yuccca made the trip to Lorain.