Wixom Brothers Circus at Ithaca, Michigan Fairgounds, August 18, 1900

Summary

Small traveling circuses in the late 19th and early 20th century arrived in towns with great fanfare. Performers, animals and musicians paraded down streets. This free publicity, circus owners hoped, would arouse the interest of the residents and potential customers. This photograph shows the Wixom Brothers Circus marching to the fairgrounds in Ithaca, Michigan.

Small traveling circuses in the late 19th and early 20th century arrived in towns with great fanfare. Performers, animals and musicians paraded down streets. This free publicity, circus owners hoped, would arouse the interest of the residents and potential customers. This photograph shows the Wixom Brothers Circus marching to the fairgrounds in Ithaca, Michigan.

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

18 August 1900

Collection Title

Wixom Circus Collection 

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

00.1451.24

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cardboard
Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process
Toning (Photography)

Color

Brown
Sepia (color)

Dimensions

Height: 8 in  (irregular)

Width: 10 in

Inscriptions

Handwritten in ink on front of image with lines pointing to men: Otis | Bill | Chas | Handwritten in pencil on back: Wixom Bros Great <RR> Show / J / Ithaca Mich Fair Grounds |/ Aug 18, 1900 / [note: the term RR is added into the line with a different pencil above the words] Handwritten in ink sideways on left side back: Otto Deming's | from Bill Eber | Oct 13, 1960 Address label adhered on back: Clyde Wixom [address]

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