Unveiling Indiana's Rich Circus History: New Exhibit at Kosciusko County Historical Society

Indiana was a significant hub for circuses in the United States, hosting the main offices of many major circuses, except for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. This information was provided by Greg Steffe, Co-Director of the Kosciusko County Historical Society. The society recently launched an exhibit at the Old Jail Museum, displaying the history of the circus in Indiana through various memorabilia.

The circus history in Indiana began in 1882 when Ben Wallace started a small traveling circus in Peru, Indiana. Initially, the circus traveled by wagons, but it soon grew and started using railroads for transportation, becoming a major circus.

In 1892, during the Chicago World’s Fair, Carl Hagenbeck, a well-known animal dealer and trainer from Germany, performed successfully. This led him to start a small traveling circus in the United States, the Carl Hagenbeck Animal Circus. In 1908, Hagenbeck returned to Germany and sent an agent to sell his American assets. The agent initially approached the Ringling brothers, but the deal didn't materialize. Instead, Ben Wallace became the buyer.

Wallace's circus was less known than the Ringling Brothers', leading to a lawsuit by Hagenbeck to stop Wallace from using his name. The lawsuit was eventually dropped, and Wallace continued to operate the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus in Peru, Indiana. Upon retirement, he sold the circus to three former employees, who formed the American Circus Corporation.

In the mid-1920s, the American Circus Corporation owned most major American circus titles, except for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. When they bought the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, the deal didn't include the circus's winter quarters in Peru. So, they established new winter quarters in West Baden, Indiana. This history is now displayed at the Kosciusko County Historical Society's new exhibit, highlighting Indiana's significant role in the circus industry.

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