Courier: P. T. Barnum's Centennial Advanced Daily
1876 (Date manufactured/created)
Paper Documentary Artifact
Promotional newspaper, called a courier, for P. T. Barnum's Centennial show. The United States Centennial celebrated one hundred years since America's declaration of independence from Great Britain. The cover features Barnum's name in large, decorative lettering above a portrait of the showman. Patriotic symbols are almost always seen in Barnum's promotional literature, but in this case the inclusion of flags, an eagle, and shields also reinforce the Centennial theme, as does the color printing. A banner in the center of the page titled Advance Daily separates the patriotic design in the top half from the assortment of wild animals illustrating the lower half of the cover. Among the animals are two hippos, lions, a rhinocerous, giraffe, elephant, polar bear, ostrich, snake, zebra, tiger, monkey, and others. Above the lower margin, a banner states the courier's circulation to be 2,000,000 and the price five cents per copy. The contents of this sixteen-page courier include a lengthy introduction written by P. T. Barnum himself in which he provides the names of his staff and an extensive descriptive text of the wonders to be seen in his circus. There are many illustrations of the show's features, such as: a giraffe towering over two men; two hippos on the banks of the Nile river; sea lions; a warthog; a zebra; a tapir; a lion; a horned horse from Ethiopia; a black-horned rhino in a cage being pulled by a team of horses; another giraffe; a polar bear; a Bengal tiger; an Asiatic elephant; an ostrich; so-called Fiji cannibals; little person performer Admiral Dot (Leopold Kahn); and additional scenes from within the circus tent. The back of the courier features a full-page illustration of the Founding Fathers of America signing the Declaration of Independence. Couriers were distributed in advance of the circus's arrival in town in order to promote ticket sales. Thus advertising that contained full descriptions of the show and plenty of illustrations increased the public's excitement and anticipation, and helped to ensure a large audience.
Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that still bears his name, but his circus ventures came about in the early 1870s when he was in his 60s. The first show was called "P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus." Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations and far more people, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum’s show the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. After Barnum's death in 1891, Bailey contineud to operate the circus. After his death in 1906, Ringling Brothers bought the business and operated it separately from the Ringling circus for over ten years. The name remained until 1919 when the two circuses were combined to become Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. It came to an end in May 2017 when the circus ceased performances after 146 years.
Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that still bears his name, but his circus ventures came about in the early 1870s when he was in his 60s. The first show was called "P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus." Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations and far more people, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum’s show the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. After Barnum's death in 1891, Bailey contineud to operate the circus. After his death in 1906, Ringling Brothers bought the business and operated it separately from the Ringling circus for over ten years. The name remained until 1919 when the two circuses were combined to become Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. It came to an end in May 2017 when the circus ceased performances after 146 years.
T 2016.006.001