The 19th in a series of articles
for the 175th Anniversary of Bonham
Bonham, Texas -- Bonham residents enjoyed many amusements in the late 1800s and early 1900s, including musical and drama performances and baseball games.
Once the railroad arrived in 1873 citizens of all ages could also enjoy circus performances. The ad below is from 1874.
A newspaper review of a later circus in 1874 stated that the “animal department” was “very good” and that the "pageant in the streets of the town was quite fine, and the big steam piano, drawn by ten camels, was an item of interest to all, though the music was not very excellent."
Mothers took their children to the depot to see the circus unloading, with the elephants pulling the big loads. The parade was a key free amusement for any circus. This wonderful undated photo shows the large crowds enjoying a circus parade.
The circus usually set up at Russell Heights. This photo (below) shows the tents going up.
By 1898 the Ringling Brothers circus was coming to Bonham.
The 1902 “Greatest Show on Earth” featured a giraffe, performing elephants, 40 clowns and an acrobatic family.
The Bonham News gave a great review of the 1911 Ringling Brothers’ Show, stating that 12,000 to 16,000 people attended the parade. It reported that the parade contained hundreds of floats and 650 horses.
While the numbers reported may seem very high, old photos show large numbers of folks attending similar events in Bonham. Certainly everyone in Bonham would have come out to see the parade and everyone from the countryside would have delighted in this opportunity for entertainment.