The Circus Comes to Greenwood
BY: BG EDITOR
Gentry Bros. Circus Poster
Feb 22, 2020 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)
In 1897, the City Council of Greenwood passed its second official bylaw, aimed at raising revenue by means of licensing fees and taxes.[1] The list of things to be taxed gives us a fascinating glimpse of what the town's founding fathers thought might be in store for Greenwood.
Signed into law by mayor Robert Wood and City Clerk, Duncan Ross, the bylaw covered 21 tax targets, including the usual entities like transportation companies, utilities, banks and retailers, saloons, auctioneers, peddlers and hawkers. But along with billiard halls, bowling alleys and rifle galleries, we also find licensing fees for these notables:
Each person selling opium (except chemists and druggists using the same in preparation of prescriptions of medical practitioners), $250 for every six months.
Every person who exhibits a public circus or menagerie, $5 for each day of such exhibition.
Every person who exhibits waxworks, circus riding, rope-walking, dancing, tumbling or other acrobatic or gymnastic performance, wild animals, or hippodrome, sparring, boxing, sleight-of-hand, legerdemain, jugglery, or other like tricks, pictures, paintings, statuary works of art, natural or artificial curiosities, tableaux, wonderful animals or freaks of nature, or any other exhibition kept for hire or profit, when the same is exhibited elsewhere than in a theatre, music or concert hall, or other building or place duly licensed, for each day of such exhibitioners.
Every person who exhibits waxworks, circus riding, rope-walking, dancing, tumbling or other acrobatic or gymnastic performance, wild animals, or hippodrome, sparring, boxing, sleight-of-hand, legerdemain, jugglery, or other like tricks, pictures, paintings, statuary works of art, natural or artificial curiosities, tableaux, wonderful animals or freaks of nature, or any other exhibition kept for hire or profit, when the same is exhibited elsewhere than in a theatre, music or concert hall, or other building or place duly licensed, for each day of such exhibitioners.
Gentry Bros. Circus
[ Photo courtesy circusesandsideshows.com ]
And sure enough, the Circus did set-up its big top in Greenwood. In 1902, the local news gave a full report of the day's events.[2] Arriving by rail in Greenwood, the Gentry Bros. circus train unloaded everything from dogs and ponies to monkeys and elephants.
The Gentry Show
A Splendid Exhibit of Trained Dogs and Ponies
"Gentry Bros., trained animal show has come, and gone and the little folk are still talking about the wonderful feats of trained ponies and a large and varied assortment of dogs. The big folk too, have not forgotten the show and are still discussing how the genius of the ring master and the intelligence of the animals have combined to make the latter do things that only creature man is supposed to do.
The special train reached here from Trail at six o'clock in the morning and sundry urchins who were waiting for the whistle jumped out of bed much to the disgust of the parents who were about that time enjoying their best sleep. But it was the children's day and the parents had to go wherever they wished.
The boys went to the station and many were lucky enough to secure proud positions as leaders of camels, ponies or what was considered the best position in the show, of the baby elephants.
At two o'clock in the afternoon the big tent was fairly well filled with people from Greenwood and surrounding camps. A census of the children there would have demonstrated that compulsory clauses of the Education Act if enforced would increase the attendance at the city schools. But it is much nicer to go to a circus than to school.
There was not a dull moment in the performance. From the time ringmaster Markel first cracked his whip until the exciting fire scene which concluded the entertainment, old and young were lost in astonishment at the wonderful tricks of the animals. The ponies were pretty and intelligent and did everything Mr. Markel asked them to do. They went through military drill, they marched, they skipped, they went lame and they shamed sickness, while one Peek-a-Boo who seemed a little more intelligent than the rest counted in answer to Mr. Markill's questions.
Intelligence and breeding evidently don't travel together in dog life. The best of the long line with the Gentry show is Duffer, a wonderful mongrel that Mr. Markell picked up at his old home in Barrie, Ont. Duffer created plenty of amusement by his droll tricks. There were numerous other dogs who performed not the least interesting being Rocket, an English grey hound who holds the record for long-jumping.
Then there were funny little monkeys who drove their dog teams and guided their fire wagon to the fire. Two monkeys by working an old fashioned hand force pump succeeded in extinguishing the flames. After the performance the management graciously turned the show over to the youngsters who rode the ponies and peanutted the elephants and did many other things that will be remembered as long as interest is taken in those things that interest children of a larger or smaller growth."
A Splendid Exhibit of Trained Dogs and Ponies
"Gentry Bros., trained animal show has come, and gone and the little folk are still talking about the wonderful feats of trained ponies and a large and varied assortment of dogs. The big folk too, have not forgotten the show and are still discussing how the genius of the ring master and the intelligence of the animals have combined to make the latter do things that only creature man is supposed to do.
The special train reached here from Trail at six o'clock in the morning and sundry urchins who were waiting for the whistle jumped out of bed much to the disgust of the parents who were about that time enjoying their best sleep. But it was the children's day and the parents had to go wherever they wished.
The boys went to the station and many were lucky enough to secure proud positions as leaders of camels, ponies or what was considered the best position in the show, of the baby elephants.
At two o'clock in the afternoon the big tent was fairly well filled with people from Greenwood and surrounding camps. A census of the children there would have demonstrated that compulsory clauses of the Education Act if enforced would increase the attendance at the city schools. But it is much nicer to go to a circus than to school.
There was not a dull moment in the performance. From the time ringmaster Markel first cracked his whip until the exciting fire scene which concluded the entertainment, old and young were lost in astonishment at the wonderful tricks of the animals. The ponies were pretty and intelligent and did everything Mr. Markel asked them to do. They went through military drill, they marched, they skipped, they went lame and they shamed sickness, while one Peek-a-Boo who seemed a little more intelligent than the rest counted in answer to Mr. Markill's questions.
Intelligence and breeding evidently don't travel together in dog life. The best of the long line with the Gentry show is Duffer, a wonderful mongrel that Mr. Markell picked up at his old home in Barrie, Ont. Duffer created plenty of amusement by his droll tricks. There were numerous other dogs who performed not the least interesting being Rocket, an English grey hound who holds the record for long-jumping.
Then there were funny little monkeys who drove their dog teams and guided their fire wagon to the fire. Two monkeys by working an old fashioned hand force pump succeeded in extinguishing the flames. After the performance the management graciously turned the show over to the youngsters who rode the ponies and peanutted the elephants and did many other things that will be remembered as long as interest is taken in those things that interest children of a larger or smaller growth."
Prof. Gentry's Famous Dog and Pony Show
[ Wikipedia CC 2.0 ]
So popular was the Gentry Bros. circus and similar small traveling shows like it, they inspired the colloquial phrase, a 'dog and pony show'.[3]
The prominent Gentry Bros. Show even got the attention of the not yet famous inventor, Thomas Edison, who filmed their leaping dogs as seen in this video produced by the Monroe County History Center in Gentry's hometown of Bloomington, Indiana. Here is more footage of the Gentry Bros. Circus parade:
Considering the early years and long miles that had to be traveled, Greenwood was very fortunate to be visited by a show like the Gentry Bros. Today, their story is included with all the circus greats who traveled on the Victorian era circuit:[4]
Gentry's Equine and Canine Paradox
[ Photo courtesy circusesandsideshows.com ]
"It all started on a family farm in Bloomington, Indiana. A young Henry B. Gentry, after seeing the Van Amberg's circus began training his pet colt to jump through a hoop. The family dog "old Shep" was next, training the dog to work with the colt in the improvised act. Gentry continued to train the farm animals that were available to him and soon was asked to give a performance in the towns opera house. Henry had caught the "circus bug", and would turn this humble beginning into one of the largest shows on the road.
In 1885 age 17 Henry asked his three brothers to join with him and start a traveling show. The four brothers purchased a railroad car and titled the show "Gentry's Equine and Canine Paradox".
In 1887 after two successful seasons on the road, the Gentrys opened the "Gentry Bros Circus. The circus carried no human performers, only dogs, ponies, a ringmaster and animal presenters.
The circus continued to grow and in 1895 while in New Orleans, the Gentry brothers formed a second unit to show on the west coast. In 1898 the Gentrys purchased two more shows, the "Sipes circus", and another circus owned by Tom Ogeat and Henry Main. The Gentry brothers now had four dog and pony shows, one for each of the brothers to operate.
In 1902 the named was changed to "Gentry Brothers Famous Shows". The show purchased 20 baby elephant to be divided among the units and began adding "Human acts".
By 1910 the circus had become the largest on the road."
In 1885 age 17 Henry asked his three brothers to join with him and start a traveling show. The four brothers purchased a railroad car and titled the show "Gentry's Equine and Canine Paradox".
In 1887 after two successful seasons on the road, the Gentrys opened the "Gentry Bros Circus. The circus carried no human performers, only dogs, ponies, a ringmaster and animal presenters.
The circus continued to grow and in 1895 while in New Orleans, the Gentry brothers formed a second unit to show on the west coast. In 1898 the Gentrys purchased two more shows, the "Sipes circus", and another circus owned by Tom Ogeat and Henry Main. The Gentry brothers now had four dog and pony shows, one for each of the brothers to operate.
In 1902 the named was changed to "Gentry Brothers Famous Shows". The show purchased 20 baby elephant to be divided among the units and began adding "Human acts".
By 1910 the circus had become the largest on the road."
Victorian circus illustration
More of their story is told by the Indiana Public Media:[5]
"Having trained a few animals and corralled his three brothers, 17-year-old Henry B. Gentry bought a train car and got a show on the road in 1885. "Gentry's Equine and Canine Paradox" soon came to feature 40 ponies and 80 dogs in each of two traveling units. Having bought out several of its competitors by 1900, the outfit that was then known as Gentry Brothers Famous Shows lived up to its name with four separate units boasting camels, sacred cows, monkeys, and elephants that entertained crowds as far away as Mexico City.
Another outstanding aspect of the Gentry Brothers Circus was its music. Two steam calliopes traveled with the show, and several important American bandleaders got their start with the Gentry band. Worthington, Indiana native Fred Jewell ran away from home to play euphonium for the Gentry show, going on to publish over a hundred marches and lead the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey band, among others."
Another outstanding aspect of the Gentry Brothers Circus was its music. Two steam calliopes traveled with the show, and several important American bandleaders got their start with the Gentry band. Worthington, Indiana native Fred Jewell ran away from home to play euphonium for the Gentry show, going on to publish over a hundred marches and lead the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey band, among others."
One of the Gentry Bros. two identical steam calliopes
E. Deacon Albright, player, standing in wagon, c. 1926
[ Photo courtesy Circus Historical Society; Photo by Walker Morris ]
More information on the calliopes, and a very detailed account of the Gentry Bros. history can be found here.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Boundary Creek Times — Dec 11, 1897, p. 10
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170319
[2] Boundary Creek Times — Jun 27, 1902, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170881
[3] 'Dog & Pony Show' — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_and_pony_show
[4] History of the Gentry Bros. Circus
http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/gentrybroscircus.html
[5] Moment of Indiana History — Gentry Bros. Circus
https://indianapublicmedia.org/momentofindianahistory/gentry-brothers-circus/
