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Photo, Print, Drawing Behind the Scenes of Typical Truck Circus, Downie Bros. Circus, 1932.

About this Item

Title

  • Behind the Scenes of Typical Truck Circus, Downie Bros. Circus, 1932.

Summary

  • This behind-the-scenes image is typical of a "truck show" in the American circus. With the growth of the trucking industry in the United States after World War I, many small circuses could easily mount their wagons and equipment on the back of trucks and travel across the country, reaching countless smaller communities previously inaccessible by circuses operating strictly from railroads. In this image, three women rest under a fly tent attached to the back of a painted truck of the Downie Bros. Circus. The circus was owned by Andrew Downie McPhee (1863-1930), who pioneered the truck circus. His show was transported on 38 trucks, five trailers, three tractors, and three advance trucks. All baggage trucks were painted red with gold and silver trim.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1932.

Headings

  • -  United States of America
  • -  1932
  • -  Circus
  • -  Circus performers
  • -  Downie Brothers Circus
  • -  Entertainers
  • -  Tents
  • -  Trucks
  • -  Women

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: Glass-plate negative.
  • -  Reference extracted from World Digital Library: Chang Reynolds, "Downie Bros. Wild Animal Circus," Bandwagon, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jan-Feb), 1963, http://www.circushistory.org/Bandwagon/bw-1963Jan.htm. External
  • -  Original resource at: Circus World Museum.
  • -  Content in English.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021670655

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Behind the Scenes of Typical Truck Circus, Downie Bros. Circus. United States of America, 1932. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670655/.

APA citation style:

(1932) Behind the Scenes of Typical Truck Circus, Downie Bros. Circus. United States of America, 1932. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670655/.

MLA citation style:

Behind the Scenes of Typical Truck Circus, Downie Bros. Circus. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021670655/>.