Galveston’s First “Big Circus…in Years”

Ticket to Ray Bros. Circus, Galveston, Texas, February 7-10. [1945], in Ephemera, Rosenberg Library, Galveston and Texas History Center.

Galveston’s Rotary Club sponsored two appearances by Ray Bros. Circus in the mid-1940s. The first performance took place at City Auditorium. February 15-19, 1944. An advertisement in the Galveston Daily News, February 13, 1944, billed the event as “The Colossus of Indoor Shows” and “The Only Big Circus to Show in Galveston in Years.”

The Rotary Club sponsored another appearance by Ray Bros. Circus at City Auditorium, February 6-10, 1945. The circus came to Galveston by train and discharged performers, equipment, and animals, including three herds of elephants. Performances included aerial acrobatics and bareback horseback riding.

The accompanying ticket and program were connected to the 1945 Ray Bros. Circus. The program captured the joy and excitement experienced by young and old onlookers through its iconic clown and use of vivid colors. Its pages featured a list of animal, clown, high wire, and trapeze acts. Its pages include several photographs of circus performers, as well as many advertisements for local businesses.

Casey Edward Greene

Rosenberg Library