P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth, Howes' Great London Circus & Sanger's Royal British Menagerie: 1882 Maine Route

P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth, Howes' Great London Circus & Sanger's Royal British Menagerie: 1881 Maine Route

P.T. Barnum's New and Greatest Show on Earth: 1879 Maine Route

P.T. Barnum's New and Greatest Show on Earth: 1878 Maine Route

P.T. Barnum's New and Greatest Show on Earth: 1876 Maine Route

P.T. Barnum's Great Traveling Exposition & World's Fair: 1873 Maine Route

Photo of P.T. Barnum Taken by Maine Photographer, Charles B. Conant

P.T. Barnum's Great Roman Hippodrome: 1875 Maine Route

Bailey Brings the Adam Forepaugh Show to Waterville on August 11, 1894

       In 1894, James A. Bailey once again brought the Adam Forepaugh Show to Maine! This tour would be proudly advertised as the 31st annual tour however it would also be it's last. The next time we would see the Forepaugh name would be in 1896 as a combined show

Jonathan Harrington's 1863 Farewell Tour Stops in Waterville

Billed as "The Greatest Ventriloquist in America", Jonathan Harrington was one of the earliest American magicians. Born in Boston, Harrington began his performing career as a ventriloquist in 1826 at the young age of 17. His shows became increasingly focused on magic with a small section devoted to ventriloquism and mimicry. He quickly rose as a public figure making his performances a high demand ticket. His fiscal success

1876, Barnum's Longest Tour of Maine, Visits Lewiston Before heading to New Hampshire!

In 1876, the centennial year of our nation's birth, P.T. Barnum treated the people of Maine to the longer tour for and incarnation of a show using his namesake. This tour featured a full fourteen dates in twelve cities! Those dates were July 15 in Saco, July 17 & 18 in Portland, July 19 in Damariscotta, July 20 in Rockland, July 21 in Bath, July 22 in Augusta, July 24 in Houlton, July 25th in Calais, August 7 & 8 in Bangor, August 9 in Dexter, August 10 in Waterville and August 11 in Lewiston. This was also the first year of a Barnum show in Maine under the "Greatest Show on Earth" title! This was "P.T. Barnum's New and Greatest Show on Earth"! Presented here is a newspaper ad and short write up regarding the final Maine stop in Lewiston.

The advertisement posted here reads as follows:

---

P.T. BARNUM'S

NEW AND

GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH IS COMING

ON THREE MONSTER SPECIAL TRAINS

OF SOLID STEEL CARS, AND WILL EXHIBIT AT

LEWISTON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 11th!!

$1,500,000 CASH CAPITAL INVESTED!

1100 Persons and 600 Horses and Ponies Employed by it.

A Century's Festival of Features in a Metropolis of Separate Tents.

Its Menagerie 100 per cent. the largest ever moved.

SIXTY CAGES OF RARE ANIMALS AND AMPHIBIA

Many of which singly cost more than a common Menagerie.

TOWERING LIVING GIRAFFES, HALF TON LIVING LIVING SEA LIONS,

AND

Barnum Returns to Maine for the 1873 Season!

In 1873, P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum Menagerie Caravan Hippodrome & Circus returned to Maine and the advertisement makes the claim the the show is "Ten Times Larger Than Ever". This year, the

Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth 1893 Season

Years had gone by since the passing of the great P.T. Barnum and in that time, James A. Bailey was the sole proprietor of "The Greatest Show on Earth". 1893 was also the year that the World's Fair in Chicago themed it's presentation to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the new World, although technically it would have been the 401st (1492). "The Greatest Show on Earth" also adopted this them for the season bringing a massive show to local towns around the country and Maine was not left out of this great tour. The dates in Maine were July 15 in Biddeford, July 17 in Portland, July 18 in Bath, July 19 in Augusta, July 20 in Bangor, July 21 in Waterville and as the ad showcased here indicates, July 22 in Lewiston. The ad for this show reads:

Containing a World of Wonders and Delightful Attractions TOGETHER WITH IMRE KIRALFY'S FAMOUS SPECTACLE COLUMBUS AND THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, IT'S GRANDEUR ALMOST SURPASSING BELIEF WITH 1,200 HISTORICAL CHARACTERS REPRESENTED.
3 RINGS, 2 ELEVATED STAGES, RACING TRACK!
SUBLIME BALLET, with 300 DANCERS
The most Wonderful and Grandest of Earthly Displays on a Stage 400 Feet Long.
In Addition to Circus, Hippodrome, Illusions, 2 Monster Menageries, Museums, Aviary, Aquarium and Horse Fair. 

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