P.T. Barnum Enters the Ring!

Even though his name has become almost synonymous with the circus, P.T. Barnum did not enter the business until he was 60 years old. In the fall of 1870, Barnum came to an agreement with Dan Castello who was owner of the "Dan Costillo Show" and manager of the show, William Cameron Coup. Through the deal, Barnum became a senior partner who financed the endeavor and in return received two-thirds of the profit. Since Barnum previously displayed his presentations and curiosities in fixed locations such as his American Museum, this would be an exciting new way for him to take his genius promoting talents all over the country. The first incarnation of a P.T. Barnum promoted travailing circus was to be called "P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, Hippodrome & Circus." This resurrection of Barnum's
museum, as he viewed it, was the largest circus ever in America. At 60 years old, he did not
travel with the show however along with his name headlining this new tour, he also sent a massive 100 wagon caravan. Upon seeing this mobile city traveling around the country, one spectator stated "the golden era of circus had begun!". This historic tour that married the great P.T. Barnum with the circus had many stops in Maine with shows in Saco, Portland, Brunswick, Gardener, Augusta, Waterville, Lewiston, Paris and Bridgeton. The show that visited Maine was advertised as "Three Great Shows in Three Colossal Tents" requiring the services of "245 men and 270 horse" in order to bring the show to life. The show itself was so large it is said to have covered nearly three acres of land. The ad featured here is promoting the July 31st, 1871 show in Lewiston. 

Barnum's "Great Museum Collection" was advertised as follows:*1

"Embraces an infinite ensemble variety of living and representative curiosities from the realms of nature and of art; curious and interesting manufactures and relics of all nations; marvelous human phenomena; strange freaks of nature; mammoth giants over 8 feet high, and lilliputian dwarfs only 25 inches high and weighing only 15 ilbs. four times smaller than the famous Gen. Tom Thumb! Fac similes of the Cardiff Giant, Siamese Twins, and Powers' Greek Slave; Wonderful Mechanical and Automation Figures of the Bell Ringers, Dying Zouave, Sleeping Beauty, Singing Birds, Trumpeter, Magic Drummer, Musical Rabits, Monkeys, Cats and Bears - in fact, embracing many thousands of curious and interesting features never seen before under canvas."

The "Great Menagerie and Caravan" was advertised as follows:*1

"The Great Menagerie and Caravan are replete with the choicest and rarest collection of Living Wild Beast, among the more prominent of which are beautiful plumed Birds from the tropics; also, Reptiles, Elepants, Camels, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Bears, Kangaroos, Ostriches, Cassowaries, Sea Lions, Seals, Malayan and South American Tapirs, Palatine and Rocky Mountain Sheep, Llamas, Pink-eyed Albino Dear, Apes, Monkeys, Baboons, Giant Cynocephalus, Baby Elephants, Baby Camels, etc."

The circus portion itself remained to be billed as "Dan Castello's" and was advertised as follows:*1

"Dan Castello's Mammoth Circus in a seperate and distinct tent, which is represented by 50 of the best performers in the World, and so conducted as to be absolutely chaste and refined where there will not be permitted a solitary feature, look, word or gesture in any way incompatible with that decency and respectability which have always characterized Mr. Barnum's amusement enterprises for the last thirty years."  

Ticket purchasers were also able to purchase P.T. Barnum's autobiography at a discounted price of $1.50 (without show ticket, the price was $3.40).
*1 - Advertisement information is based on ads for Maine and may vary in other locations.

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