Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth letterhead, c. 1880s. It features a portrait of P.T. Barnum in the center, and then below him are... Show moreBarnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth letterhead, c. 1880s. It features a portrait of P.T. Barnum in the center, and then below him are portraits of J.A. Bailey and J.L. Hutchinson. Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that still bears his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum’s show the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus. Show less