Randylyon at 01:23, 3 July 2017

2017-07-03T01:23:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:23, 3 July 2017
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	[[Image:~~sterling~~.~~jpg~~\|left\|thumb\|250px\|Photo courtesy: https://www.maryloumontgomery.com/single-post/2017/01/06/Peculiar-looking-floating-circus-docked-on-town%E2%80%99s-riverfront-1852]]SPAULDING AND ROGERS FLOATING CIRCUS PALACE. In 1853 when it tied up to the Dubuque levee, "The Palace" was one of the largest boats in the nation--two hundred feet long and thirty feet wide. One of the many features of the boat was its museum of "over 100,000 curiosities." (1)		[[Image:spaulding.png\|left\|thumb\|250px\|Photo courtesy: https://www.maryloumontgomery.com/single-post/2017/01/06/Peculiar-looking-floating-circus-docked-on-town%E2%80%99s-riverfront-1852]]SPAULDING AND ROGERS FLOATING CIRCUS PALACE. In 1853 when it tied up to the Dubuque levee, "The Palace" was one of the largest boats in the nation--two hundred feet long and thirty feet wide. One of the many features of the boat was its museum of "over 100,000 curiosities." (1)

	By replacing the typical canvass tent with the climate-controlled, gas lit and comfortable setting of a theater, the Floating Palace tempted customers. Once on board, the seating was theater-quality. There were 1,100 cane-bottom arm chairs sold on a reserved basis, the “family circle,” of cushioned settees for an another 500 people, and 900 gallery seats. There was a saloon on board, for the enjoyment of circus-goers. (2)		By replacing the typical canvass tent with the climate-controlled, gas lit and comfortable setting of a theater, the Floating Palace tempted customers. Once on board, the seating was theater-quality. There were 1,100 cane-bottom arm chairs sold on a reserved basis, the “family circle,” of cushioned settees for an another 500 people, and 900 gallery seats. There was a saloon on board, for the enjoyment of circus-goers. (2)

Randylyon: Created page with "Image:sterling.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Photo courtesy: https://www.maryloumontgomery.com/single-post/2017/01/06/Peculiar-looking-floating-circus-docked-on-town%E2%80%99s-riverf..."

2017-07-03T01:22:09Z

Created page with "Image:sterling.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Photo courtesy: https://www.maryloumontgomery.com/single-post/2017/01/06/Peculiar-looking-floating-circus-docked-on-town%E2%80%99s-riverf..."

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[[Image:sterling.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Photo courtesy: https://www.maryloumontgomery.com/single-post/2017/01/06/Peculiar-looking-floating-circus-docked-on-town%E2%80%99s-riverfront-1852]]SPAULDING AND ROGERS FLOATING CIRCUS PALACE. In 1853 when it tied up to the Dubuque levee, "The Palace" was one of the largest boats in the nation--two hundred feet long and thirty feet wide. One of the many features of the boat was its museum of "over 100,000 curiosities." (1)

By replacing the typical canvass tent with the climate-controlled, gas lit and comfortable setting of a theater, the Floating Palace tempted customers. Once on board, the seating was theater-quality. There were 1,100 cane-bottom arm chairs sold on a reserved basis, the “family circle,” of cushioned settees for an another 500 people, and 900 gallery seats. There was a saloon on board, for the enjoyment of circus-goers. (2)

Each performance was two to three hours in length. Once a show concluded and passengers debarked, a steamboat pulled the elegant barge to the nearest small town in plenty of time for the next scheduled performance. (3)

In addition to an act of 15 trained horses which waltzed in formation for three minutes, the boat features tightrope acts and acrobatics. (4)

At the beginning of the [[CIVIL WAR]], the boat was seized by Confederate forces and converted into a hospital ship. (5)

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Source:

1. "Long, Happy Life of River Showboats," ''Telegraph Herald'', April 7, 1958, p. 5

2. '''A Biographical Dictionary of the Nineteenth Century American Circus''', 1998

3. Ibid.

4. "Long, Happy Life..."

5. Ibid.

[[Category: Circus]]

SPAULDING AND ROGERS FLOATING CIRCUS PALACE - Revision history

Randylyon at 01:23, 3 July 2017

Randylyon: Created page with "Image:sterling.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Photo courtesy: https://www.maryloumontgomery.com/single-post/2017/01/06/Peculiar-looking-floating-circus-docked-on-town%E2%80%99s-riverf..."