Courier: The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, Hartford, Conn., June 14, 1889 [yellow paper] featuring a large fold out

Courier for the Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, performing at Hartford, Conn., on June 14, 1889. Printed on yellow paper, this courier is different from others, as it is folded into sixths, similar to a small information pamphlet. When unfolded and opened, it reveals a single large promotional page at poster size. Dense text throughout advertises the variety of acts present in the circus.. The first part features the name of the show, as well as date and location. P.T. Barnum and J.A. Bailey are both depicted. On part two are illustrations of the hall of 40 supernatural illusions, acrobats, and a close up of three of the illusions. The third part shows men boxing, men tending to horses, trick cyclists, and two men fencing. Part four only shows the interior of the hall of 40 supernatural illusions, showing crowds streaming past the exhibits there. The part that follows shows racing greyhounds, and the last end of this side of the courier is rounded out by three illustrations of the carriages and carts from the public street parade given for free. The opposite side of the courier begins with an illustration of stallions rearing on their hind legs, followed by horses and their trainer, and trained steer. The next page shows sea lions and their trainers, zebras doing tricks, a troupe of educated Russian bears, and the wonderful performing goat. The part that follows shows trained elk, a performer being shot out of a cannon, and a giraffe running around a circus ring. On the page that comes after that is a man feeding birds fish, Bo-peep and her trained sheep, and educated pigs working with clowns. The part that follows shows four different illustrations of horses being raced, and the final illustration shows elephants riding bicycles. The part of the courier that unfolds features an advertisement for a vivid panorama of wild Moorish life and desert scenes and shows various fantasy scenes set in the Middle East meant to play upon the exoticism of other cultures to the West. Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that bore his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum's show and the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It came to an end in May 2017 when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus ceased performances after 146 years.