Circus Historical Society

Circus History Library

Click on the underlined links below.

People, Staff, performers, and Slout's Olympians of the Sawdust Circle, all online.

Circuses, Sturtevant's List, 1724-1952; Circuses, 1836-1950s (brief information); Official route books; Couriers. All online.

Routes, Day-by-day routes for a number of circuses, cities visited.

Books, Online books, read books covering circus history, 1700s to early 1900s.

Articles, Online articles, read articles covering circus history, 1800s to 1900s.

Circus logos, Logos from the 20th century, illustrated.

Circus titles, ads, those magnificent circus advertisements and unusual circus titles!

"Insider" circus humor, for the enjoyment of circus historians.

Newspaper excerpts 1830-1870s

Excerpts from the New York Clipper 1850s - 1918

Sporting and Theatrical Journal, circus news, 1880s (pdf files)

Billboard, 1894 to 1922 (excerpts) and some complete issues - early 1900s (pdf files). Circuses, theatrical/variety, fairs, billposters news. Note: Google "Books" has issues online from 1942 on.

Variety, circus news 1906 to 1911 (excerpts)

Circus Scrap Book, Index and online articles from this serial publication 1929-32. Original articles, reprints from newspapers and magazines.

Excerpts from Show World, circus and show news, 1907, 1910(partial).

Greater Show World, 1936, 1950, 1951. Circus and show news.

Hobby Bandwagon 1947 & Jan 1948 (previously Hobby Swapper, pdf files)

Circus Report, Index to articles 1972-1990 (some complete issues online). In the 1970s to 1980s, Circus Report, American's Favorite Circus Weekly, carried current news/information and circus history. Especially useful for finding circuses, people, staff, performers, acts, animals, etc. It also carried some variety & magic shows and carnival news, as well as some international circus news.

Back Yard, Circus news - issues of this publication for 1998-2000 are online (Pdf files).

Bandwagon Many early Bandwagon circus history articles are online! Check the Bandwagon indexes 1940 to 1965, as well as a number of articles 1966-1974+.

CHS honors Circus Historians

The Circus Historical Society does not guarantee the accuracy of information contained in the information in these online articles, books, etc. Information should always be checked with additional sources.

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