Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – If you attended Petersburg Circus Days over the weekend, and even if you didn’t, you can learn more about the city’s history with the circus at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM).
According to the museum, some circus photographs and artifacts that tell the relationship between the circus and Petersburg are now on display through December 8.
“The colorful array of photos and artifacts examines the circus history of Petersburg, Ill., a central Illinois town better known for its Lincoln connections,” said the museum, in a news release. “In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Petersburg was also the winter home to circus folk who trained, perfected new acts and performed for the community in a custom-built arena called the Ring Barn.”
Some of the artifacts on display include clown shoes, a contortionist’s jacket, juggling clubs, and a wooden globe that was used in performer Kitty Kelly’s act.
The museum says they worked on the exhibit with the Menard County Historical Society.
The museum also has an interview with two of the descendants of Petersburg’s families involved in the circus, at the “Family Memories” section of the state’s Oral History website.
