Mud Shows

Not every circus could be a Ringling Brothers, a Barnum and Bailey, or a Dan Rice show. Even when the biggest shows were traveling by rail or steamboat, a large number of shows were still rolling along on wagons through towns large and small, often playing in towns that were too small for the big shows to notice or were too far away from rail lines for them to travel to. These were the mud shows. According to circus lore, the name derives from the dirt roads the shows would travel which would often turn muddy and difficult to pass, an issue the great rail bound shows didn't have to worry about. 

Similar to the mud show was the "dog and pony" show. Often used as a derogatory term for a smaller show, the title was, in fact, embraced by more than one circus and was often quite apt, especially for those shows just starting out that lacked exotic animals or large menageries and had to make due with domestic pets and livestock for their performances. Even today, many acts still include these kinds of performances, such as the "educated pig" act in their larger shows. 

Among the most famous of the mud shows was Mollie Bailey's "Bailey Concert and Circus Show" which traveled throughout the southern United States during the later half of the 19th century. A family show, Mollie and her husband Gus (neither of whom were related to the more famous Bailey circus family) played throughout the south as a musical and theater act until the beginning of the Civil War when they volunteered with the Confederate army, Gus as a soldier and musician and Mollie as a nurse and spy, sneaking across Union lines dressed as a young girl to secure provisions and intelligence. 

After the war, the couple, now with eight children returned to performing. The Texas based show traveled on seven wagons and boasted only one ring. As they got older, each of the children joined the performances, one daughter as an equestrienne and another with a bird act while their sons toured as musicians. When Gus Bailey could no longer travel with the show due to illness, Mollie took over running the circus and became the first woman to own and operate her own circus in the United States. 

Mollie was well known for her keen business sense. Often she would purchase parcels of land in towns the show frequented for performance space, allowing the locals to use them as baseball fields or parks the rest of the year. The show was also routed to follow the crops in order to arrive in towns during the year's highest period of prosperity each season. Eventually the circus managed to add more traditional fare including clowns, acrobats, and more exotic animals, finally moving on to rails. When Mollie died, the circus went with her, surviving for only two more seasons afterward. 

Today, a mud show is often used as a term for a truck or motorized show that still sets up outdoors rather than playing in arenas, though some historians consider this something of a bastardization of the term despite keeping with a bit of the spirit of the original meaning. Circus Smirkus, a summer circus camp in Vermont continues the mud show tradition, taking their classes on a 15 to 20 jump tour through Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Want a real look at life on a modern mud show? Check out Valerie Berta Torales' blog, The Mudshow Diaries.

That's it for this week's update!

Yours truly, 

Dr. Tobias H. Gentleman

The Floating Palace

From the beginning, the American circus industry was largely relegated to touring the East Coast and New England. This was largely due to the lack of any real infrastructure and the difficulty of transporting equipment, animals and personnel across the mountainous country of Appalachia. With the opening of the Eerie Canal in 1825, an entirely new market was presented to any circus owner able to get his hands on a boat large enough. 

Among the earliest to take his show to the water, as we saw earlier was Dan Rice who moved his show from town to town on the Allegheny Mail starting around 1848. Rice treated the steamboat more or less the same way as any other mode of transportation the circus used, loading, docking, unloading and performing on land, the boat simply acting as conveyance. This changed with Rice's frequent partner/employer/rival Gilbert R. "Doc" Spaulding. 

Prior to Rice's outings, steamboats had already been used as floating theaters. Starting in 1831, the Chapman family, English actors traveled via barge along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, performing at stops along the way. After reaching New Orleans, they sold the barge for firewood, traveled via steamboat back to Pittsburgh where they had started and repeated the trip again the next season with a new barge. They repeated this until 1836 when they were able to afford a much larger boat complete with steam engine and full stage which they named The Steamboat Theater. It is from this particular style of travel that the term showboat derives. 

The problem, of course, when translating the circus into showboat style traveling theater was one of scale. It took until 1852 when Spaulding and his partner Charles J. Rogers commissioned the massive Floating Palace to actually hold a circus performance on board a ship. Built in Cincinnati for around $42,000 (approximately $1,092,000 in today's currency) the Floating Palace had a shallow, barge like hull and unlike the Steamboat Theater required a tow boat to pull it along which also contained the show's menagerie. It was large enough to contain a standard 42' ring, seat 3,400 audience members (though shows were often standing room only and one could pay to stay outside on the deck and look in through the windows) and had a full accompaniment of 200 gas jets that lit the theater. Add to that the mirrors, tapestries and carvings that decorated the ship as well as the system of steam heating that allowed the show to go on in cold weather and you have some idea of what a marvel the thing was in its day. Spaulding and Rogers were also responsible for the addition of one of the most recognizable pieces of circus tradition, the calliope. Originally designed as a way to signal to those on shore that the Floating Palace was traveling near by, it is still inextricably associated with the sounds of the circus. 

Spaulding and Rogers toured the Floating Palace for only four years, 1852, 1853, 1857, and 1859. Like many circuses, they found themselves limited in their ability to travel as the Civil War approached. The ship was even confiscated in 1862 by the Confederate army after the troupe's yearly stay in New Orleans and used as a hospital ship. More often than not, it was leased to other shows and in this way, traveled the river circuit for 14 years before an accidental fire burned the ship to the water line while it was docked in New Albany, Indiana. 

The Floating Palace, while certainly the greatest of the circus riverboats was certainly not the last, among the post civil war riverboat revivalists were both Dan Rice and Eugene Robinson who's own Floating Palace boasted a menagerie, museum, and opera house (though not a circus) and the era of the showboat lasted well into the first decades of the 20th century. 

That's it for this week! As you've probably noticed, Wagon Tracks has moved to a bi-monthly update. We'll continue exploring every other Thursday and next time, we'll look at the smaller "mud show" circuses. Till then, thanks for reading!

Dr. Tobias H. Gentleman

Dan Rice: America's Clown

Dan Rice was, quite possibly, the most famous personality of his day next to Abraham Lincoln himself. Born in Manhattan in 1823, Rice got his start as a Jockey at the age of 10. After becoming too heavy to ride professionally he turned instead to equestrian performance, joining the Nichols Circus where he performed as a singer and dancer as well as a rider. Rice also went on to perform what became a staple of many clown acts, the "educated pig" when he joined a traveling puppet show in 1843 with his pig Lord Byron.

Rice's first big act, however, came when he joined Dr. Gilbert R. Spalding's North American Circus (Spalding having bought out the former Nichols Circus). Combining his educated pig act with his musical and dance performances and strong man act, Rice became for the first time an integral part of the show. His relationship with Spalding was, however, a tumultuous one, Rice being notoriously hard to get along with when it came to business and something of a egotist.

Leaving Spalding's show, Rice went on to perform with several other circuses before opening his own show in 1845, the Dan Rice Circus, which many historians suspect was financed in part by Spalding and which traveled periodically on Spalding's Allegheny Mail steam boat. Rice played the part of clown in his show, becoming well known for his Shakespearian comedy performances and interacting heavily with the ringmaster as his straight man which would, in time, become something of a circus tradition in itself.

By this point, Rice had also taken on what is probably his most recognizable modern legacy by costuming himself in a stars and stripes outfit and top hat. Along with his long grey chin beard, Rice was the perfect model for Thomas Nast's "Uncle Sam" character (though he may have been adapting an already existing clown style, Rice certainly gets credit for popularizing it and making it his own trademark look).

Like John Bill Ricketts before him, Rice often courted the famous political figures of the day. Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Roberty E. Lee were all fans and at one point while playing in Washington D.C. Congress had to adjourn for the day as so few members were going to show. These political ties, as well as Rice's tour routes which took him both to the South and the North would later cause him some amount of public grief during the civil war as many Northerers suspected him of Southern sympathies and vice versa. Even after the war, Rice's loyalties were hard to pin down as he helped to rebuild schools and churches in the South while at the same time charitably supporting the windows and children of Union troops who had died in the war and even having a Union monument errected in his second wife's home town of Girard, Pennsylvania (which, by the way, now hosts a yearly "Dan Rice Days" festival).

By 1852, Dan Rice had reached the financial peak of his success, becoming possibly the most highly paid person in the country making $1000 a week (a little over $13,000 by today's standards). As the civil war went on, however, his fortunes dwindled and by 1862 Rice was bankrupt. Enter Gilbert R. Spalding, Rice's former manager who offered Rice the opportunity to join his show as a partner at the same $1000 a week rate. Rice, perhaps remembering his previous time with Spalding, refused, opting instead to rebuild his fortunes on his own which he did successfully before entering into partnership with Adam Forepaugh and going more or less bankrupt once again.

Four years later, Rice made a short lived bid for congress and the presidency running at the behest of a Pennsylvania soldiers delegation. He would by no means be the last great circus star to enter the political arena as we'll see in later entries. Rice continued touring both with his own show, he could afford it and as a performer in other circuses. By now, however, age and alcoholism had left Rice a shadow of his former self and audiences failed to appear.

Eventually, Rice was able to overcome his addiction to alcohol and in his later years toured as a temperance speaker while continuing to perform in the ring in one form or another until his retirement in 1887. Just three years later, Dan Rice died. His name, however lived on, various circuses touring, though unauthorized, under the Rice name well into the mid 1950's. Additionally, his "Pete Jenkins from Mud Corners" comedic equestrian act was likely the basis for the circus act depicted in Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, especially given that Twain and Rice traveled the same waters along the Mississippi at roughly the same time.

Since we touched a bit on steamship travel and the circus, we'll continue on that topic next time!

J. Purdy Brown

The so called "tented circus" officially began with proprietor J. Purdy Brown in the early 1800's. A cousin of Hachaliah Bailey, Brown is credited both with being the first to tour under a big top and with being among the first to combine the circus and menagerie. Though the exact date of the first feat is unknown (likely some time in the mid-1820's when Brown was touring along the Mississippi River or just before when he became the first to tour Virginia), the combination show that gave us what is commonly considered the modern circus format started when his cousin, Benjamin Brown, a menagerie owner in his own right leased J. Purdy his show which was then added to J. Purdy's own and toured under "Brown's Circus and Menagerie." This practice of leasing animals, equipment and personnel to other shows also became commonplace, especially during the circus's golden age in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with many proprietors even leasing their own names to smaller up and coming shows in order to help legitimize a new show with a familiar name.

Prior to Brown's combined show, circuses (then still the Astley style equestrian show with a few additions) and mengageries were, according to The Circus in America, "known to be mistrustful and jealous and even stole each other's livestock on more than one occasion." In his wake, the practice would come not only to be commonplace, but would be the standard for most successful shows in the U.S. and abroad, the size of a circus's menagerie and of it's big top both being gauges for the quality of the show itself. 

Sadly, Brown's contributions have been largely forgotten or mis-attributed to other, better known figures like Aaron Turner and Nathan Howe. In addition to his other firsts, he was also the first to advertise the circus ahead of it's arrival and, due to the tented nature of his show, to travel with a retinue of circus wagons though larger menageries were already doing this) which, in time, would become more and more elaborate and eventually morph into the well known circus parade signaling a show's arrival in town. 

Next week, we'll explore the life and times of "America's clown" Dan Rice!

John Durang

Previously we talked about the first Astley style show in America, John Bill Ricketts. Among Ricketts' biggest acts was John Durang, a multi-talented performer who had already made a name for himself as a dancer, actor, director, puppeteer, and musician. Erroneously, or at least poorly cited in many texts as the first "Native American" clown (including by yours truly in a previously post, hence the delay on this one as I wanted to make sure I got it right), Durang was, in fact the first native born American clown.

The son of French immigrants, Durang was born in Lancaster Pennsylvania, growing up in smaller town of York where his family moved shortly after his birth. The family quickly made a name for themselves in the small town, largely due to John's father, Jacob's abilities as a barber-surgeon and businessman as well as his fluency in both French and German, the common language of the town. The Durangs would eventually resettle in Philadelphia after Jacob completed service in the continental army, some time in the late 1770's.

It was in Philadelphia that Durang first took to the stage after seeing a hornpipe playing dancer at a theatrical performance. Durang decided that he could "dance as well as anybody" and sought out professional instruction, eventually convincing the dancer who he'd first seen, one Mr. Russel, to board at his father's house with the intent of convincing Russel to become his teacher. Durang had his first professional performance after running away with a magic lantern show whose disappointing performance he'd previously seen in Philadelphia. Offering to improve the show with his music and dance routines, Durang signed on to join the troupe's tour as they traveled through New Jersey and on to Boston, eventually playing for a successful two months of engagements. 

Once the two month tour was up, Durang finally returned to Philadelphia where he reunited with his relieved family, having left without notice, but could not leave the desire to perform behind. Durang signed on with the Old American Company (this time with his fathers consent), and went on to tour with the group in Pennsylvania and New York, continuing to take instruction from a variety of teachers. It was in New York that Durang studied with a Mr. Hoffmaster, a dwarf who instructed him in the violin and eventually composed the tune "John Durang's Hornpipe." 

Returning to Philadelphia again in 1787, Durang next turned his theatrical talents towards opening his own show, this time with a self built puppet theater which he operated with his siblings and several friends. Durang also performed in and managed several summer theaters, particularly after the legalization of the theatrical performances in 1789, as well as working in several English "pleasure gardens", outdoor theater and dining venues designed to look like "fantasy lands of natural and exotic design." It was here that Durang added acrobatics and rope walking to his repertoire.   

The skills learned for the pleasure garden performances would eventually go on to serve Durang well when he signed on with John Bill Ricketts' circus in 1796. By then, he had added horsemanship to his skills and he quickly became a featured performer in Rickett's pantomime performances. Durang traveled with Ricketts' troupe throughout the Eastern seaboard and up into Canada leaving behind a thorough written account of what travel was like during the late 1700's as well as numerous paintings of the local landscape and performances. During this tour, Durang not only worked as a performer, but kept track of Ricketts' finances and worked as a theater technician and engineer for mechanical effects. In his travels through Canada, he also added an "Indian characteristic dance" to his more formal European style dances, dressed in an outfit he claimed to have "purchased from an Indian for rum." 

Durang continued managing much of Ricketts' finances for the circus well after their return to Philadelphia and the show's eventual move to Baltimore. It was Durang who arranged for a small tour after the fire in the Philadelphia amphitheater and Ricketts' urged him to stay on with the show when he left for his ill fated tour of the West Indies. Durang, who had since married and had several children turned down the offer and remained in America, opening his own, short lived circus. 

Durang would go on to have a long career in the traditional theater as well as joining touring shows during the summer. His sons, Charles and Richard (who performed under the name Ferdinand) also became prominent figures in the theater both as performers and behind the scenes. After decades of shaping the early American theater, Durang died in Philadelphia at the age of 54. Today, several monuments stand throughout Lancaster, Pennsylvania including one at the Hole in the Wall Puppet Theater which has a series of puppets based on Durang's life built by artist Robert Brock.

For a much more in depth history of John Durang, his life, and legacy, as well as images of Brock's Durang puppets and recordings of "John Durang's Hornpipe," please visit the York County Heritage Trust website. 

John Bill Ricketts

We return this week to the European equestrian style show popularized by Phillip Astley and the man who brought this style of performance to the U.S, John Bill Ricketts. Born in Scotland in 1760, Ricketts trained with Charles Hughes' riding school in London during the late 1700's before founding his own show which opened first in Edinburgh as the Circus Royal in 1791. The show traveled throughout Scotland and Ireland before relocating to Philadelphia where it performed in the equestrians's riding school at Twelfth and Market Street (then called High Street), roughly where the Gallery at Market East shopping mall stands today.

Among those present at Ricketts' earliest performances were George and Martha Washington whose attendance and the reports thereof all but assured Ricketts' American success. Ricketts soon took his show to New York where then president John Adams also attended. Like Astley, Ricketts often had custom amphitheaters built for the show, eventually owning some half dozen buildings in the U.S. and Canada. On his return to Philadelphia which served as the show's home base, Rickets had the show's original open air arena replaced with his Art Pantheon and Amphitheater, boasting artificial lighting, stage and arena spaces and seating for 1,200. The show eventually became so popular that Ricketts' was able to send his brother, Francis on the road with a second troupe.

Among Ricketts' major contributions to the modern circus was his addition, even more so than Astley's of variety acts to the equestrian show in which he starred. Ricketts' show boasted a series of clowns throughout, including the first Native American clown, John Durang, whose addition to the show was something of a coup for Ricketts as Durang was already an actor and dancer of note as well as being one of Washington's favorite performers. The show also included pantomimes and theatrical stage pieces as well as one of the first after show concerts which were regularly rotated in order to garner repeat business.

Ricketts also added what might be considered one of the first sideshows in circus history. After seeing his show during their first tour in Philadelphia, George Washington returned and offered to sell Ricketts the horse he rode during the Revolutionary War for a price of $150. The horse, who was by then too old to be of much use to Washington was exhibited around the country as part of Ricketts' show.

When both Ricketts' main amphitheater burned down in 1799, one in New York and the other in their home base of Philadelphia and the rent on the new Philadelphia location, a half collapsed building formerly owned by Philip Lailson became more than the circus could reasonably handle, Ricketts and a small portion of his cast left for a tour of the West Indies where he was able to recoup much of his money despite widespread illness among the cast. Selling the remainder of his horses, Ricketts attempted to sail back to England but was lost at sea along with the ship. In his wake, Ricketts left behind a new industry which would, in the coming century become one of the most widespread forms of American entertainment.  

Nathan A. Howes and the Zoological Institute

Last time we looked at Hachaliah Bailey and the beginnings of the menagerie business in America. This week, we follow up with a bit of Bailey's protege and sometime partner Nathan A. Howes. Born in Brewster, New York in 1796, Howes got his start in the menagerie business by securing the partial rights to tour Bailey's elephant, Old Bet. He was among the earliest owners to tour with a regular circus troupe (starting in the 1820's) and was also among the earliest to tour under a canvas tent rather than a permanent amphitheater the way Philip Astley and other proto-circus performers had done. By 1826, he also ran an equestrian show with Aaron Turner as one of it's main riding acts presaging the merger of menagerie and equestrian act into the modern circus. 

Perhaps Howes' biggest contribution to the history of the circus, however, was the creation of the Zoological Institute in 1835 with his partner, Aaron Turner and his younger brother Seth B. Howes who would go on to circus fame of his own, especially in Europe. These three along with several other major menagerie owners bet at the site of Hachaliah Bailey's Elephant Hotel in January of that year and agreed to "more generally diffuse and promote the knowledge of natural history and gratify rational curiosity," through touring their menageries, all, of course, while making a tidy profit. This meant buying up most of the exotic and wild animals imported into the United States through their menagerie and headquarters in New York City and leasing them to anyone who wanted to tour the animals for a tidy profit. 

In addition, the Zoological Institute turned its attention towards controlling the routes that menageries traveled, often through fear and intimidation. More than a few rival troupes who refused to buckle to the Institute's monopoly or were too small to pay the Institute's fees found their equipment mysteriously burned or otherwise destroyed. 

Many of the Zoological Institutes monopolistic aims were later adopted by the Flatfoots, often confused for being one and the same due to the Institutes use of the phrase "on that I put my foot down flat" after dictating their terms of business. While the Institute lasted only two years, formally disbanding in 1837, the Flatfoots, which included many of the same menagerie owners (thus making untangling the history of the two even more complicated) persisted until 1842 and were reformed from 1863 to 1878 as a coalition of circus owners.

 Next week, we'll return to the equestrian side of things with John Bill Ricketts, the first man to bring his Astley style show to the United States.