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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1876 | 3 |
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1884 | 3 |
| 1885 | 3 |
| 1887 | 1 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 4 |
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| 1923 | 1 |
88 stories matching circus
- The Circus Comes to Town: Montgomery’s Queen’s New Brings the 'Wonderful Kenebels' to Seattle
In October 1876, the largest and most brilliant circus company in the West descended upon Seattle, offering a night of acrobatics, animal acts, and high-flying daredevils for just one dollar.
- Cole's Circus Parade Fills Seattle's Streets
Thousands of Seattleites flock to Belltown for the arrival of Cole's massive traveling circus.
- The Neighborhood Kids’ Backyard Circus
A group of North Yakima children stage a backyard circus complete with a dog-drawn chariot, an educated rooster, and an ill-fated mule.
- The Great Circus Showdown of 1888
When the Sells Brothers’ traveling circus arrived in Seattle, it brought a sprawling, multi-ringed spectacle that promised to transform the town's public thoroughfares into a Roman-style festival.
- The Day the Circus Rolled into Seattle
Thousands flocked to the depot in 1885 to witness the grand arrival of John Robinson’s circus, a massive production that brought exotic animals and high-wire spectacle to the nascent town.
- An unfortunate encounter with a detective
A citizen is fined for confronting an undercover officer after a heated exchange near the circus grounds.
- The City Council as a Traveling Circus
North Yakima’s municipal government descends into physical brawls and political instability.
- The Day the Circus Band Wagon Tore Through Downtown Tacoma
A runaway team of horses pulling a promotional circus wagon turned a mundane Monday into a scene of carnage at the corner of Washington and South Second Street.
- The Great Circus Invasion of 1889
Fresh from the ashes of the Great Seattle Fire, the city found a brief, surreal escape in the arrival of a massive traveling show.
- An Anonymous Threat in Everett
A local bank janitor receives a typed, skull-and-crossbones threat to leave town or face accusations from his past.
- The Circus at Ballard City Hall
A local council meeting descends into a chaotic brawl of accusations, slurs, and political grandstanding.
- The Political Circus of 1908
Local news satirizes the convoluted web of political machines, patronage, and special interest groups fighting for influence in Whatcom County.
- Twenty Clowns, Cloth Elephants, and a College Circus at the Armory
Whitman students and the Walla Walla Band plan four nights of acrobats, side shows and pink lemonade — with a hired professional troupe to keep it honest.
- After the Great Fire: A City Rebuilds from Ashes
Following the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, city authorities clash with circus owners and residents over the 'tinderbox' conditions that allowed the blaze to consume the downtown business district.
- The macabre post-mortem of a sideshow giant
After a circus performer died in Ellensburg, local authorities and doctors went to gruesome lengths to extract profit from his corpse.
- The Cold Shoulder for Bryan in the Palouse
A local editor dismisses the national hype surrounding William Jennings Bryan's campaign visit to Colfax.
- Water Works Save Montesano from Ruin
A devastating fire tears through the business district, but the unfinished water system prevents the total loss of the town.
- Populists Plan a State-Wide Political Circus
As Washington state approaches a contentious election, Spokane Populists prepare a traveling campaign program of bands, juggling, and theater.
- Firefighters Save Montesano from Total Destruction
A catastrophic fire nearly leveled the town's business district before new water mains were put to the ultimate test.
- The Circus Elephants Take a Dip in Lake Washington
Thousands gathered at the lake to watch the performers of John Robinson's show take an afternoon bath.
- Runaway Carriage Strikes Pedestrians
A young brother and sister are injured after being struck by a runaway horse and buggy on Columbia Street.
- The Tiger Trainer Who Lived for Danger
For Charles W. Miller, a veteran animal trainer at the Bostock Zoo in Tacoma, the daily threat of being mauled by a 800-pound tiger was simply just another day at the office.
- Barnstorming Above the Valley
A daredevil aerial show featuring parachute jumps and mid-air transfers lands in Yakima, showcasing the post-WWI obsession with flight.
- Showfolk Stranded in South Tacoma
A traveling circus troupe is left destitute on a station platform after a management dispute leaves them without food, funds, or transport.
- The Theater vs. The Newsroom
Local journalists take to the baseball diamond to soundly defeat Cordray's Theater team.