John Robinson Circus

John H. Robinson created the John Robinson Circus, whose winter quarters were in Terrace Park, Ohio.^[1][2]

John Robinson Circus
Origin
Country	United States
Founder(s)	John H. Robinson
Information
Fate	Purchased by the American Circus Corporation and then by John Ringling

Famous elephants

Chief

"Chief", an elephant from John Robinson's circus, killed his trainer in Charlotte, North Carolina.^[3]

Tillie

Main article: Tillie (elephant)

Tillie the elephant was part of the circus.^[1] She was known to walk the streets of Terrace Park, Ohio and is buried there.^[1]

Winter quarters in Terrace Park

The Circus had its winter quarters in Terrace Park, Ohio.^[1] Tillie the elephant was known to walk the streets of Terrace Park and is buried there.^[1] The owner's house is a mansion.^[1]

Routes

The circus performed in the neighborhood of Northside, Cincinnati (formerly Cumminsville, Ohio) starting with a parade from the railroad crossing at Blue Rock and Hamilton to Luckey's Field in South Cumminsville. Tillie led the procession.^[4]

Ownership changes

The John Robinson Circus toured from 1842 until 1911 (69 years), it was one of the longest running family owned circuses in the United States. The Circus was owned and managed by four generations of "John Robinsons".

1. John Robinson I (1807–1888)
2. John Franklin Robinson II (1843–1921)
3. John Gilbert Robinson III (1872–1935)
4. John Gilbert Robinson IV (1893–1954)

The circus became part of the American Circus Corporation.

In 1929, John Ringling bought the American Circus Corporation, which consisted of the Sells-Floto Circus, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, the John Robinson Circus, the Sparks Circus, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and the Al G. Barnes Circus. He bought them from Jerry Mugivan, Bert Bowers, and Ed Ballard, for $1.7 million (approximately $31,130,000 today).^[5] With that acquisition, Ringling owned all of the major traveling circuses in America.^[6]

Trivia

The basement of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Terrace Park contains a museum of the Terrace Park Historical Society that includes the history of the Robinson Circus.^[7][8]

Gallery

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