A view from the opening of a Circus entranceHere's a timeline of the Circus:
1841 - Phineas Taylor Barnum purchases Scudder's American Museum in New York City and renames it Barnum's American Museum, promoting its circuslike, oddball exhibits. The enterprise joins with William Cameron Coup and Dan Costello in 1871 for a road show, "P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum."
1881 - Barnum links up with James A. Bailey and James L. Hutchinson for "P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show On Earth, And The Great London Circus, Sanger's Royal British Menagerie and The Grand International Allied Shows United," later shortened to the "Barnum & London Circus."
1884 - The Ringling Brothers Circus begins as a traveling performance under the guidance of Alf, Al, Charles, John and Otto Ringling.
1907 - The Ringlings buy the "Barnum & Bailey Circus."
1919 - After operating as separate entities for years, "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, The Greatest Show On Earth" tours with 100 double-length railroad cars and 1,200 employees.
1967 - Longtime concert promoters Irvin Feld and brother Israel purchase the "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus."
1984 - After Irvin's death, son Kenneth takes over as owner. That same year, the alternative "Cirque du Soleil" (French for "Circus of the Sun") begins in Montreal by former street performers Guy Laliberte and Daniel Gauthier. The show incorporates opera, ballet and contortionists.
1990 - Cirque du Soleil's show "Nouvelle Experience" launches in Canada and relocates two years later to The Mirage in Las Vegas, where it remained until 1993.
2006 - The Cirque touring show "Corteo" comes to Chicago for the summer. In Vegas, the troupe now has five permanent shows ("O," "Mystere," "Ka," "Zumanity" and "Love").
If you have time, you should read more about this incredible history attraction on the
Wikipedia entry.
