In 1961, the five Ringling Brothers, John Bill Ricketts, and four others were inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame, Sarasota, Florida.
The answer: JOHN BILL RICKETTS, an accomplished equestrian, came from England in 1792 and established America's first circus in Philadelphia. Probably because of his interest in horses, George Washington attended several performances of Ricketts' circus. In 1797, the showman built an amphitheater for his circus in New York City, and he exhibited in other towns as far north as Albany, New York.1, 2
John Bill Ricketts, the acknowledged father of the American Circus, began his circus career with Hughes Royal Circus in London in the 1780's.
He built a circus building in Philadelphia in the fall of 1792 in which he conducted a riding school. After training a group of Pennsylvania horses, he began on April 3, 1793, a series of exhibitions two and three times a week.
John Bill Ricketts combined instruction and exhibition for the next seven years in Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, Charleston, Boston, Hartford, Albany, Lancaster and Montreal.
His advertisements referred to the equestrian exhibition at Ricketts Circus. Performances included not only equestrian exhibitions, but clowns and music and later rope walkers were added. Each stand lasted from three or four days to several months. For each one, he built temporary buildings.
In December of 1799, his Philadelphia amphitheater burned and he retired from the circus business. His name is enshrined in recognition of his circus pioneering in the United States and his earned title of "Father of the American Circus."
The first circus in the United States originated in Philadelphia in the riding school started by John Bill Ricketts.
The riding school had as its distinguished patron, George Washington, of whom it is recorded - He put aside cares and worries and went to Ricketts' riding school to seek enjoyment and pleasure. The dates of Washington's visits to Ricketts' Circus were April 22, 1793 and January 24, 1797.
As part of his plan to draw clients, Ricketts employed a man by the name of McDonald to act "the clown." Later he hired Sig. and Mme. Spinacuta, the former a tight rope walker and the latter an equestrian, to entertain his customers.
Situation du théâtre français au Québec, 1624-1824.
Old map showing John Bill Ricketts' circus building in Montreal
OTHER CIRCUS WEB SITES:
The Great Circus Parade
King Royal Circus
Big Top: Australian Circus
Garden Bros. Circus
Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus
Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo's Circus World Museum (Site 2)
Cirkus Scott
Sorin Sirkus
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