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Circus in town

This article was taken from "The Old Philosopher" column in the June 21, 1971 edition of the Minonk News-Dispatch.
The largest circus ever to show in Minonk was the Hagenback-Wallace, which was in Minonk on Monday, August 24, 1915. The big circus never stopped at places the size of Minonk, but they had shown on Saturday in LaSalle and were to be in Pontiac on Tuesday and had to change ot the Illinois Central Middle Division here, and so decided to show on Monday.

It was the biggest amusement event in the City's history. Thousands came in from all the neighboring towns and villages; the trains were crowded and our little City was jammed. The big street parade at noon was a great feature as well as the unloading and setting up of the big top. It was said that the paid admissions to the circus reached 13,000.

Three trains with a total length of one mile were needed to transport this stupendous attraction.

This picture was taken by E. H. Meierhofer from atop a boxcar when the big parade was crossing the I. C. tracks headed west on Fourth Street. Th old buildings, which can be seen at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut, were horse barns, which were torn down to make way for Goodwin Bros. Ford Garage.