SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection contains extensive records from 1911 (prior to the merger with the Barnum & Bailey Circus) through 1966, just prior to when Irvin Feld purchased the show. The papers consist primarily of business related materials such as financial records, performer contracts, records of winter quarters operations, general subject files, records related to the Harford fire of July 6 1944, tours of Europe and South America, labor relations, and performances at Madison Square Garden. The collection also includes personal papers for a number of members of the Ringling Family particularly John and Henry Ringling North as well as personal papers of their uncle John Ringling. Other prominent Ringling Family members such as Al, Alf. T., Otto, Gus, and Charles Ringling are absent from the papers. The personal and business records of Arthur Concello can also be found in the collection as well as papers and ledgers associated with the America Cirucs Corporation. A small collection of images (CWM Ph 64) is also included. The original order of the collection, whenever possible, has been maintained. Overall, the collection is organized into 25 series arranged as follows:
The AMERICAN CIRCUS CORPORATION PAPERS series, 1913-1947 (Box 1-4; Vol 1-22, 24-62), contains the company records of the American Circus Corporation including Al G. Barnes Amusement Co., Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, Howe’s Great London Circus, John Robinson’s Circus, Sells-Floto Circus, Spangles, Sparks Circus, and Circus City Zoological Gardens. Also included are records from the Ringling-owned winter quarters in Peru, Indiana. Arranged alphabetically by show name, aside from Circus City Zoological Gardens, which comes at the end of Box 3 and beginning of Box 2; Peru, Indiana winter quarters records in Box 4
The ARENAS, COLISEUMS, STADIUMS series 1954-1962 (Box 5-7), contains rental agreements, financial records, correspondence, and other material regarding venues in which the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performed. These records date from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. Arranged alphabetically by city name.
The BARRING OUTDOOR ADVERTISING series, 1955-1956 (Box 8; Vol 16-17), includes scattered records from the Barring Outdoor Advertising Company spanning a twelve-year time period and include correspondence, financial records, board minutes, and material from the Loomis Advertising Co.
The CIRCUS SUPPLY AND HARDWARE CO. series 1948-1958 (Box 9; Vol 23) , pertains to the administrative and financial records of the company. Organized alphabetically by topic.
The ART CONCELLO PAPERS series, 1934-1963 (Box 10-12, Oversize 1), contains records pertaining to the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey circus during the time when Art Concello was the show’s general manager, first in 1943 and then again from 1947 until the early 1960s. Included are financial records, correspondence, inventories, employee records, and other papers relating to the general operations of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Correspondence is organized by year; all other topics are organized alphabetically.
The CUBA, MEXICO, AND SOUTH AMERICA series, 1949-1962 (Box 13-15), includes correspondence, financial records, press releases, clippings, agreements, inventories, personnel lists, and other records pertaining to tours staged by RBBB in Cuba, Mexico, and various South American countries between 1949 and 1962. This series is organized alphabetically by country or region, and chronologically within each.
The DAILY RECEIPTS series, 1929-1958 (Box 16-24), consists of receipts from ticket sales generated in each city where RBBB performed. Typewritten index cards of daily receipts from the Sparks Circus from 1929 to 1954 make up the first portion of the series, organized alphabetically by state and then by city. The latter portion of the collection includes daily ticket receipts from the RBBB circus from 1955 to 1958, and is organized first chronologically by year, and then alphabetically by city.
The EUROPEAN TOUR series, 1963-1964 (Box 25-26), consists of records detailing Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s 1963 European Tour, orchestrated by general manager Art Concello. These records date from 1963 to 1964, and are largely financial in nature, including records of banks with which Ringling had accounts or other financial contracts, payroll, bills, receipts and invoices, and settlements. Also included are personnel files, operating instructions for equipment, inventories, and rental papers. This series is organized alphabetically by topic.
The EXPENSE ACCOUNTS series (Box 27-32), details the expense accounts for individuals employed by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus. Included are expense account reports and receipts for purchases made, chiefly from the year 1955. This series is arranged alphabetically by employee last name.
The FINANCIAL RECORDS series, 1913-1964 (Box 33-37; Vol 63-178, 181-188, 224-289, 302-304), details a broad variety of the circus’ financial records. Included are daily log books noting the income and expenses on the road during the touring season. bank balances, refunds issued, correspondence with creditors, payroll, among other financial records. Of particular note is a series of ledgers 1911-1916 of the Ringling Bros. Circus (Pre-merger) constituting the oldest records in the entire collection. Also found in this series are ledgers containing financial records of the Sarasota based winter quarters including a 1927 construction ledger. This series is arranged alphabetically by type of record.
The GENERAL FILES series (Box 38-70, Oversize 2) consists of general records, divided by file size by Ringling office staff into legal size and letter size sub-series. These records include operations records, correspondence, equipment inventories, railroad contracts, general subject files, performer details, and legal case files. Both sub-series are arranged alphabetically by topic.
The GENGERAL LEDGER series, 1923-1959 (Box 71-74; Vol 189-223), consists of a variety of financial documents of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus including but not limited to expenses, fixed assets, investments, liabilities, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll transactions needed to prepare financial statements. The series is arranged chronologically.
The HARTFORD FIRE SERIES, series, 1940-1950 (Box 75-76), consists of records relating to the legal and financial aftermath of the Hartford Fire of July 6, 1944 when the big top tent was set on fire, possibly by alleged arsonist Robert Segee. This series primarily consists of correspondence, legal case files, and financial records.
The INSURANCE RECORDS series, 1933-1962 (Box 77-82), contains correspondence, policies, and other various documents relative to insurance policies of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. A limited amount of correspondence relates to the Al G. Barnes and Sells Floto Circus. Included in the series are documents relative to property in Baraboo, Wisconsin, winter quarters facilities near Sarasota, Florida, automobiles of John and Henry Ringling North, and animals.
The MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, series, 1930-1960 (Box 83-89), contains lease agreements, ticket receipts, B office statements, and seating diagrams relative to the lengthy season opening performance stands of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The PAID INVOICES series, 1953-1963 (Box 90-151), includes all incoming invoices paid out by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The series contains three sub-groupings; general invoices, winter quarters invoices, and invoices associated with Max Weldy the principal wardrobe producer in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Within each sub-grouping the collection is arranged chronologically by year and then alphabetically within each year.
The PERFORMERS CONTRACTS series, 1939-1965 (Box 152-168), contains contracts between the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and various performers from the late 1930s through the mid 1960s. Included are contracts for such notable performers as various sideshow performers, notable clowns such as Felix Adler and Otto Griebling, aerial acrobats like Pinito Del Oro among others. The collection is arranged alphabetically by the last name of the performer or title of the performer group.
The, PRESS RELEASES series, 1939-1960 (Bulk 1955) (Box 169-174), is organized alphabetically by newspaper title. The vast majority of the series dates to 1955 and contains newspaper clippings and summary reports for press releases for individual cities on or near the tour routes for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS series, 1936-1959 (Box 175, Oversize 3), contain business and financial records relative to various real estate companies and land holdings of John and Henry Ringling North in the Sarasota area in particular Bird Key, Lido Key, and St. Armands Key. Of particular note the series contains an oversize folder containaining numerous plat maps showing the development of Bird, Lido and St. Armands Key, especially the development of St. Armands Circle. The series is organized alphabetically by company name.
The RINGING FAMILY PAPERS series, 1913-1962 (Boxes 176-184), contains personal and business records of a number of members of the Ringling family. The bulk of the papers relate to Henry Ringling North, John Ringling North and John Ringling. Included in the papers are personal and business correspondence, real estate records, bills, financial records, will and estate documents, and legal documents. Of particular note is an invitation of John Ringling North to attend President Truman’s inauguration in 1949, correspondence between John Ringling North and Cecil B. DeMille, and the papers of Robert Ringling, the son of Charles and Edith Ringling, who had temporary control of the circus between 1943 and 1947.
The ROCKLAND OIL COMPANY series, 1937-1957 (Boxes 185-190), and SARASOTA OIL COMPANY series contain business records relative to two oil companies John Ringling North and his mother Ida Ringling purchased from the State of Florida in an effort to close down the remainder of the estate of John Ringling. As a part of that transaction they acquired 60 percent interest in 200 oil wells held by the Rockland Oil company and Sarasota Oil Company. The records consist primarily of financial and daily drilling and production reports, financial statements, field operations reports, real estate records, and general correspondence relative to the operation of the company.
The TAX RECORDS series, 1926-1956 (boxes 191-192) contain records of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus related to various federal tax matters and numerous state taxes including Wisconsin, Louisiana, Kentucky, new York, Indiana, and Kansas. Also included are records of several subsidiary companies including Circus City Corporation as well as Wisconsin taxes related to the estate of John Rinlging.
The ORGANIZED LABOR series, 1925-1961 (boxes 193-194) consist of correspondence, reports, afadavits and other documents relative to various unions and labor organizations encountered by RBBB. Of particular interest is a history chronicling the later years of the management of the RBBB from the 1929-1937 period when John Ringling lost control of the circus and the emergence of John Ringling North as the principal manager of the show. Also included are various documents, correspondence, and lawsuits involving Ralph Whitehead, the Executive Secretary of the American Federation of Actors and documents relative to the strike of RBBB employees in 1938.
The VISUAL MATERIALS series (CWM Ph 64) visual materials collection is an assortment of print and color transparency photographs separated from CWM Mss 36 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Corporate Records during processing. The collection consists of a broad variety of subjects and many images are undated however, the bulk of the collection dates to the 1940s and 1950s. found in the collection are two photographs of the Barnum and Bailey Circus from 1891. One image shows a ticket wagon, the other a water wagon. Three files are associated with John Ringling North and date primarily to the late 1940s through the 1950s. These files consist of personal and promotional material and include photos of various social engagements, friends and associates, and some business related matters. Other images include photos from the 1937 and 1956 strikes, circa 1960 photos of new tunnel car wagons used by the circus in the 1960 through the 1980s, former U.S. Army ammunition wagons used by the circus, tractors, and various other equipment used by the show. The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject.
The collection contains extensive records from 1911 (prior to the merger with the Barnum & Bailey Circus) through 1966, just prior to when Irvin Feld purchased the show. The papers consist primarily of business related materials such as financial records, performer contracts, records of winter quarters operations, general subject files, records related to the Harford fire of July 6 1944, tours of Europe and South America, labor relations, and performances at Madison Square Garden. The collection also includes personal papers for a number of members of the Ringling Family particularly John and Henry Ringling North as well as personal papers of their uncle John Ringling. Other prominent Ringling Family members such as Al, Alf. T., Otto, Gus, and Charles Ringling are absent from the papers. The personal and business records of Arthur Concello can also be found in the collection as well as papers and ledgers associated with the America Cirucs Corporation. A small collection of images (CWM Ph 64) is also included. The original order of the collection, whenever possible, has been maintained. Overall, the collection is organized into 25 series arranged as follows:
The AMERICAN CIRCUS CORPORATION PAPERS series, 1913-1947 (Box 1-4; Vol 1-22, 24-62), contains the company records of the American Circus Corporation including Al G. Barnes Amusement Co., Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, Howe’s Great London Circus, John Robinson’s Circus, Sells-Floto Circus, Spangles, Sparks Circus, and Circus City Zoological Gardens. Also included are records from the Ringling-owned winter quarters in Peru, Indiana. Arranged alphabetically by show name, aside from Circus City Zoological Gardens, which comes at the end of Box 3 and beginning of Box 2; Peru, Indiana winter quarters records in Box 4
The ARENAS, COLISEUMS, STADIUMS series 1954-1962 (Box 5-7), contains rental agreements, financial records, correspondence, and other material regarding venues in which the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performed. These records date from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. Arranged alphabetically by city name.
The BARRING OUTDOOR ADVERTISING series, 1955-1956 (Box 8; Vol 16-17), includes scattered records from the Barring Outdoor Advertising Company spanning a twelve-year time period and include correspondence, financial records, board minutes, and material from the Loomis Advertising Co.
The CIRCUS SUPPLY AND HARDWARE CO. series 1948-1958 (Box 9; Vol 23) , pertains to the administrative and financial records of the company. Organized alphabetically by topic.
The ART CONCELLO PAPERS series, 1934-1963 (Box 10-12, Oversize 1), contains records pertaining to the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey circus during the time when Art Concello was the show’s general manager, first in 1943 and then again from 1947 until the early 1960s. Included are financial records, correspondence, inventories, employee records, and other papers relating to the general operations of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Correspondence is organized by year; all other topics are organized alphabetically.
The CUBA, MEXICO, AND SOUTH AMERICA series, 1949-1962 (Box 13-15), includes correspondence, financial records, press releases, clippings, agreements, inventories, personnel lists, and other records pertaining to tours staged by RBBB in Cuba, Mexico, and various South American countries between 1949 and 1962. This series is organized alphabetically by country or region, and chronologically within each.
The DAILY RECEIPTS series, 1929-1958 (Box 16-24), consists of receipts from ticket sales generated in each city where RBBB performed. Typewritten index cards of daily receipts from the Sparks Circus from 1929 to 1954 make up the first portion of the series, organized alphabetically by state and then by city. The latter portion of the collection includes daily ticket receipts from the RBBB circus from 1955 to 1958, and is organized first chronologically by year, and then alphabetically by city.
The EUROPEAN TOUR series, 1963-1964 (Box 25-26), consists of records detailing Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s 1963 European Tour, orchestrated by general manager Art Concello. These records date from 1963 to 1964, and are largely financial in nature, including records of banks with which Ringling had accounts or other financial contracts, payroll, bills, receipts and invoices, and settlements. Also included are personnel files, operating instructions for equipment, inventories, and rental papers. This series is organized alphabetically by topic.
The EXPENSE ACCOUNTS series (Box 27-32), details the expense accounts for individuals employed by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus. Included are expense account reports and receipts for purchases made, chiefly from the year 1955. This series is arranged alphabetically by employee last name.
The FINANCIAL RECORDS series, 1913-1964 (Box 33-37; Vol 63-178, 181-188, 224-289, 302-304), details a broad variety of the circus’ financial records. Included are daily log books noting the income and expenses on the road during the touring season. bank balances, refunds issued, correspondence with creditors, payroll, among other financial records. Of particular note is a series of ledgers 1911-1916 of the Ringling Bros. Circus (Pre-merger) constituting the oldest records in the entire collection. Also found in this series are ledgers containing financial records of the Sarasota based winter quarters including a 1927 construction ledger. This series is arranged alphabetically by type of record.
The GENERAL FILES series (Box 38-70, Oversize 2) consists of general records, divided by file size by Ringling office staff into legal size and letter size sub-series. These records include operations records, correspondence, equipment inventories, railroad contracts, general subject files, performer details, and legal case files. Both sub-series are arranged alphabetically by topic.
The GENGERAL LEDGER series, 1923-1959 (Box 71-74; Vol 189-223), consists of a variety of financial documents of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus including but not limited to expenses, fixed assets, investments, liabilities, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll transactions needed to prepare financial statements. The series is arranged chronologically.
The HARTFORD FIRE SERIES, series, 1940-1950 (Box 75-76), consists of records relating to the legal and financial aftermath of the Hartford Fire of July 6, 1944 when the big top tent was set on fire, possibly by alleged arsonist Robert Segee. This series primarily consists of correspondence, legal case files, and financial records.
The INSURANCE RECORDS series, 1933-1962 (Box 77-82), contains correspondence, policies, and other various documents relative to insurance policies of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. A limited amount of correspondence relates to the Al G. Barnes and Sells Floto Circus. Included in the series are documents relative to property in Baraboo, Wisconsin, winter quarters facilities near Sarasota, Florida, automobiles of John and Henry Ringling North, and animals.
The MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, series, 1930-1960 (Box 83-89), contains lease agreements, ticket receipts, B office statements, and seating diagrams relative to the lengthy season opening performance stands of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The PAID INVOICES series, 1953-1963 (Box 90-151), includes all incoming invoices paid out by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The series contains three sub-groupings; general invoices, winter quarters invoices, and invoices associated with Max Weldy the principal wardrobe producer in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Within each sub-grouping the collection is arranged chronologically by year and then alphabetically within each year.
The PERFORMERS CONTRACTS series, 1939-1965 (Box 152-168), contains contracts between the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and various performers from the late 1930s through the mid 1960s. Included are contracts for such notable performers as various sideshow performers, notable clowns such as Felix Adler and Otto Griebling, aerial acrobats like Pinito Del Oro among others. The collection is arranged alphabetically by the last name of the performer or title of the performer group.
The, PRESS RELEASES series, 1939-1960 (Bulk 1955) (Box 169-174), is organized alphabetically by newspaper title. The vast majority of the series dates to 1955 and contains newspaper clippings and summary reports for press releases for individual cities on or near the tour routes for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS series, 1936-1959 (Box 175, Oversize 3), contain business and financial records relative to various real estate companies and land holdings of John and Henry Ringling North in the Sarasota area in particular Bird Key, Lido Key, and St. Armands Key. Of particular note the series contains an oversize folder containaining numerous plat maps showing the development of Bird, Lido and St. Armands Key, especially the development of St. Armands Circle. The series is organized alphabetically by company name.
The RINGING FAMILY PAPERS series, 1913-1962 (Boxes 176-184), contains personal and business records of a number of members of the Ringling family. The bulk of the papers relate to Henry Ringling North, John Ringling North and John Ringling. Included in the papers are personal and business correspondence, real estate records, bills, financial records, will and estate documents, and legal documents. Of particular note is an invitation of John Ringling North to attend President Truman’s inauguration in 1949, correspondence between John Ringling North and Cecil B. DeMille, and the papers of Robert Ringling, the son of Charles and Edith Ringling, who had temporary control of the circus between 1943 and 1947.
The ROCKLAND OIL COMPANY series, 1937-1957 (Boxes 185-190), and SARASOTA OIL COMPANY series contain business records relative to two oil companies John Ringling North and his mother Ida Ringling purchased from the State of Florida in an effort to close down the remainder of the estate of John Ringling. As a part of that transaction they acquired 60 percent interest in 200 oil wells held by the Rockland Oil company and Sarasota Oil Company. The records consist primarily of financial and daily drilling and production reports, financial statements, field operations reports, real estate records, and general correspondence relative to the operation of the company.
The TAX RECORDS series, 1926-1956 (boxes 191-192) contain records of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus related to various federal tax matters and numerous state taxes including Wisconsin, Louisiana, Kentucky, new York, Indiana, and Kansas. Also included are records of several subsidiary companies including Circus City Corporation as well as Wisconsin taxes related to the estate of John Rinlging.
The ORGANIZED LABOR series, 1925-1961 (boxes 193-194) consist of correspondence, reports, afadavits and other documents relative to various unions and labor organizations encountered by RBBB. Of particular interest is a history chronicling the later years of the management of the RBBB from the 1929-1937 period when John Ringling lost control of the circus and the emergence of John Ringling North as the principal manager of the show. Also included are various documents, correspondence, and lawsuits involving Ralph Whitehead, the Executive Secretary of the American Federation of Actors and documents relative to the strike of RBBB employees in 1938.
The VISUAL MATERIALS series (CWM Ph 64) visual materials collection is an assortment of print and color transparency photographs separated from CWM Mss 36 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Corporate Records during processing. The collection consists of a broad variety of subjects and many images are undated however, the bulk of the collection dates to the 1940s and 1950s. found in the collection are two photographs of the Barnum and Bailey Circus from 1891. One image shows a ticket wagon, the other a water wagon. Three files are associated with John Ringling North and date primarily to the late 1940s through the 1950s. These files consist of personal and promotional material and include photos of various social engagements, friends and associates, and some business related matters. Other images include photos from the 1937 and 1956 strikes, circa 1960 photos of new tunnel car wagons used by the circus in the 1960 through the 1980s, former U.S. Army ammunition wagons used by the circus, tractors, and various other equipment used by the show. The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject.