Ringling Brothers Circus Arrives in Walla Walla
Thousands of Walla Walla residents turn out for a massive parade and performance as the Ringling Brothers circus arrives by rail.
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Ringling Brothers mammoth circus, the biggest and best on earth, reached Walla Walla this morning from La Grande and erected acres of canvas on the grounds west of the O. R. N. passenger depot. The show is hauled on 85 double length cars, and within a few hours had everything in readiness. The parade, led by Mr. Al Ringling, was on the streets before the noon hour and was witnessed by one of the largest crowds ever seen in Walla Walla. Following the parade came the afternoon performance, given to an audience of fully fifteen thousand men, women and children. The crowning feature was the beautiful spectacular production of Jerusalem and The Crusades.
“Every foot of sidewalk space, every available window and even a portion of the streets were used by the crowd.”
Traveling circuses were the primary source of mass entertainment in rural Washington at the turn of the century, functioning as a major civic event that temporarily transformed the city's scale.
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