Circus Flora opener

Tonight was going to be the season opener of "A Trip to the Moon" for Circus Flora in St. Louis. All started OK but by intermission the tornado sirens were blaring and the show was cancelled, the tent was evacuated and everyone took shelter in the basement of the Veterans Administrations building. All are safe and sound although there are multiple reports of damage in St. Louis including damage to Busch Stadium.

Gentry-Patterson

My fellow bloggers, associates of mayhem and fellow hysterical people, please note that the HINDU bagpiper on the far right is neither Hindu nor player thus making him the great FAKIR.

This negative was one of eight Gentry Patterson images found in the Conover negatives and Photographic collection.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day to remember all of our fellow Americans that have made it possible for us to write these blogs and all who can read them.... and so much more. Without our fallen soldiers, we would have little or nothing. God Bless them one and all!

CHS Convention in Peru

Get your hotel rooms booked if its not too late already. Mail in your registrations. Anyone may register. You don't have to be a member of the CHS to attend.

Universoul Circus

The Circus Historical Society's Convention in Peru, Indiana from July 17th to 20th will be offering an optional trip to Indianapolis to see the Universoul Circus on Wednesday evening. We have 60 Box seats reserved on a first come first served basis.

 "Get 'em while they're HOT!!!"

The Inspiration

Michael Hoffman shared this Harry Atwell photo. Michael also pointed out that the lettering on the wagon on the right is for the Sells-Floto Circus. No year is indicated as to when this was taken but you'll see a marked similarity to this and the poster coming up next.

Finished Product

This particular poster was just sent to me. It has been folded for some time. This was printed by the Erie Litho Co. sometime after 1941. The upper left hand corner that has America's Favorite Show now, used to have the owner portraits of Jess Adkins and Zach Terrell. After Jess Adkins died in 1941, those portraits were removed.

Wisconsin's Budget Vote.

This was in today's Madison, Wisconsin newspaper, the Wisconsin State Journal.

The Globe - from Jerry Cash

This picture was taken in 1960 when the entire Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus equipment, rigging, rings, etc. loaded into 4 tunnel cars. The Globe in this photo was nothing more than a larg red dot. A special Thanks to Jerry Cash for sharing this photo and the next two as well.

The Globe - from Jerry Cash

This photo was taken in 1974. It came as a complete surprise to me. I had no idea the "World's Greatest Shows" had been used since the 1919 combine with Barnum & Bailey. This is a Jerry Cash photo.

The Globe - from Jerry Cash

Taken in 1974, some of the wagons carried the more traditional globe. This is a Jerry Cash photo.

The Globe

This 1922 poster featured Mabel Stark and carried a globe at the bottom of "The Greatest Show on Earth". While that phrase had been used by Barnum & Bailey for many years, the globe design was relatively new in 1922. Perhaps our Ringling historians can give us all a better, more detailed history on the globe. The next few posts will take you on a time travel journey of some of the globes used by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus over the years.

The Globe

The Red and Blue globes are nothing new as this poster goes back to 1944. Today, the red globes are on the Red unit and the Blue globes are on the Blue unit when it comes to the train cars and the elephant headress.

The Globe

Sorry about the quality of this image. This is the only poster I have found so far that had a yellow globe.

The Globe

This poster featured the globe in a different variation of colors.

The Globe

If you look at the lettering very closely in this globe, you'll see a difference in size and curvature when compared to the next post.

The Globe

This is the more traditional style of globe that is on almost all of the Blue Unit railroad coaches.

The Globe

This is the newer style globe that is on a couple of the train cars now.

The Globe

The techo-globes on the elephant's head gear now includes LED lighting. Jerry Digney shared this photo on Buckles blog the other day.

Poster - re-designed

Dave Price was kind enough to send us this image to go with today's thread. P. J. Holmes gives us a fine comment a few posts down that ties all of this together. Enjoy!