Ringling Brothers Circus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows |
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Poster for Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows, ca. 1899
The Ringling brothers are depicted in the upper left corner |
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| Origin | |
| Country | United States |
| Founder(s) | Five of the Ringling brothers |
| Year founded | 1884 |
| Information | |
| Operator(s) | Ringling Bros. |
| Fate | Merged with Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth in 1919, as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus |
| Traveling show? | Yes |
| Circus tent? | Yes |
| Website | https://www.ringling.com |
Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows was a very famous circus. Five brothers from the Ringling brothers family started it in 1884. They began their circus in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in the United States.
The brothers were Albert, August, Otto, Alfred T., Charles, John, and Henry. Their father, August Frederick Rüngeling, came from Germany. He changed his name to Ringling when he moved to America. The family lived in McGregor, Iowa, for 12 years. Then they moved to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and later to Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1875.
In 1907, the Ringling Bros. circus bought the Barnum & Bailey Circus. They joined together in 1919. The new circus was called Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It was known as The Greatest Show on Earth. This famous circus closed on May 21, 2017. This happened because fewer people were coming to shows. Also, it cost a lot to run the circus.
But good news came on May 18, 2022! The company announced the circus would return. Its first new show was on September 28, 2023. The circus will tour more than 50 cities. The big change is that the new shows do not have any animals.
How the Circus Began
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The Ringling brothers started performing before their first circus. In 1882, five brothers did skits and juggling acts. They performed in town halls across Wisconsin. Their very first show was on November 27, 1882. It took place in Mazomanie, Wisconsin.
They called their show the "Ringling Bros. Variety Performance." The next year, they toured the Northwest with two other performers. They used the money they earned to buy new suits.
Growing the Show
In 1884, the brothers made their acts bigger. They created a one-ring circus show. By the end of that season, they added a trick horse and a bear. The circus started traveling by trains in 1888. This helped the show grow even more.
The Ringling Circus bought the Yankee Robinson Circus. They opened a joint show on May 19, 1884. This made James Anthony Bailey notice them. He ran the Barnum and Bailey's Circus. He saw the Ringlings as a strong competitor.
The brothers met with Bailey. They agreed to divide the areas where each circus could perform. Later, they bought half of the Adam Forepaugh Sells Brothers Circus from Bailey. Because of their agreement, the Ringlings could not perform at Madison Garden. This was a place the brothers really wanted to perform.
In 1887, the Ringling Circus changed its official name. It became "Ringling Bros. United Monster Shows, Great Double Circus, Royal European Menagerie, Museum, Caravan, and Congress of Trained Animals."
Joining Forces
In 1906, James Anthony Bailey passed away. This led the Ringling brothers to take over the Forepaugh–Sells circus. It continued to operate on its own for a while. In October 1907, the owners of Barnum and Bailey's Circus agreed to sell it to the Ringlings.
During World War I, fewer people came to shows. Also, many circus employees were called to serve in the war. Because of this, the Ringling Circus and Barnum and Bailey's Circus joined together. They merged in 1919. This created the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
