Circus History In Poestenkill

The Poestenkill Historical Society will hold its March meeting on Tuesday, March 27, at 7 pm at the Poestenkill Town Hall, 38 Davies Drive off Rt. 351, Poestenkill. This month’s program will be “The History Of The American Circus.” The guest speaker will be Tom Allison. Explore the History of the circus and how it all got started right here in New York State.
The circus came to the U.S. on April 3,1793. The elephant didn’t join the circus until the 1800s. Hackaliah Bailey from Somers, NY, bought an African elephant from his brother, who was a sea captain. While in London the brother bought the elephant for $20 then sold it to Bailey for $2,000. During the day, Bailey exhibited the elephant for a small fee and began to make a profit. His success encouraged others to invest in unusual animals for exhibition and take them on tour.
If you haven’t seen the film Water for Elephants you should borrow it from the library to get into the spirit. The program is free, and the public is welcome. Refreshments will be provided by Lori Winslow. For more information, contact Patricia at 518-283-5223 or go to http://townofpoestenkill.com.