September 9, 1872 – P. T. Barnum brings his Greatest Show on Earth to Iowa City.

If you’ve seen the musical movie, The Greatest Showman, you’ll better understand the impact Barnum & Bailey and others had on the entertainment business at the turn of the 20th century. For most Americans living in rural settings around the Midwest, when the circus came to town, setting up their tent for a few days, life came to a standstill.

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