LADIES & GENTLEMEN !
This was the circus. An American institution for well over 200 years. Before television, cable, video and even movie theaters, the circus was the public's only way of being completely entertained.
The circus traveled to big cities and small towns throughout the United States putting on, what they themselves called, "The Greatest Show On Earth!". And, in those days, it sure was.
You could go to the circus with 50c in your pocket, buy your popcorn, drink and a sandwich and then sit down in the seats and watch the clowns, lion tamers, trapeze artists, etc. Where else could you actually see a man get shot out of a cannon? Where else could you see a woman with no legs or arms? Where else could you see the wild lions, tigers and elephants from far-off Africa? Where else?
Most circuses also had side shows with pretty dancing girls and a strong man who could bend a steel rod in his bare hands. And don't forget the attraction with the sledge hammer where you would slam it down on a platform and the pin would fly upwards to the top of the shaft to ring the bell so you could win a Cupie Doll for your wife or girlfriend.
About a week or two before they rolled into town, posters would be hung around and you would save a little money in preparation for the show. It was a big event. Huge tents called, "Big Tops" were erected all over the place. In most situations, the circus would be in town for a few days and then, overnight, it was gone to another community. But while they were there, Wow!
But there were dark times for the circus as well. And fire was always a threat. There were cases of wild animals getting loose and, of course, not everyone who worked for the circus was honest. But fire was, by far, the biggest problem that a circus could have.
This is what happened on July 6, 1944 when the circus came to Hartford, Connecticut. This blog is dedicated to all those poor soles who simply wanted to see the circus and never went home. Sadly, many were children.