Handbill: Splendid Opening of the Season the P.T. Barnum and London Shows at Madison Square Garden for March 13, 1882

Handbill advertising the Splendid Opening of the Season the P.T. Barnum and London Shows at Madison Square Garden for Monday, March 13, 1882 or 1884. Printed on orange paper, it contains information about when the doors open on one side along with general advertising information. A portrait of P.T. Barnum sits at the top of the page, and in the lower third is a large elephant, possibly Jumbo, feeding a baby elephant, possibly Baby Bridgeport. On the opposite side is an advertisement for the second wonderful baby elephant and an illuminated after dark parade along with other wonders present in the circus. An illustration at the top of the page shows two wild men fighting with other men who wear 19th century clothing. An illustration on the bottom of the page shows the interior of a circus show. 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 and 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. It came to an end in May 2017 when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus ceased performances after 146 years.