Way Back Wednesday in Calhoun County---August 8-14

In today’s world there is no shortage of entertainment: cell phones, laptops, tablets, streaming services, and the old-fashioned movie theaters. But how did the early settlers of Calhoun County entertain themselves in the era before electricity. After the founding of the United States, traveling entertainment companies would often make their way to the new frontiers of the nation to entertain the residents.

One of the earliest and most frequent entertainment genres to visit the County was the circus. In September 1837, Joseph E. M. Hobby and Co. presented their “Menagerie and Equestrian Circus Company”. The troupe amazed the citizens of Calhoun County with a male elephant, an African lion and lioness, a leopard, an African ostrich, a Bengal tiger, an African quagga, a spotted hyena, African pelicans, stripped hyenas, an Arabian camel and calf, as well as jackals and monkeys. Admission was 50 cents for adults, 25 cents for children and servants. The next circus visit was in February 1846 when the Raymond and Company’s Menagerie from New York arrived in Jacksonville with many of the same type animals as the Hobby Menagerie but there were also a few species native to North America like the buffalo, bear, and panther. This menagerie included an aviary with a variety of species. Circus performers continued to come to Calhoun County well into the 1950s. The location moved from Jacksonville to Anniston in the 20th Century but the circus coming to town was always a popular attraction.

Since the Courthouse was the largest stage in the county, it hosted many events until the Opera House in Anniston was built in the 1880s. One traveling theater troupe, the London Miltonian Tableaux, performed for two nights in January 1869. The show was billed as the performance of John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Admission to all parts of the house was 50 cents while children and those sitting in the gallery paid 25 cents. In June 1877, the Maid of Croissey, an amateur dramatic event, played at the courthouse followed by Mrs. Jarley’s wax figures. This entertainment was available to the public for a mere 25 cents admission.

Traveling exhibitions were another welcomed entertainment in Calhoun County. In 1858, Everett’s Exhibition played to both Jacksonville and Oxford audiences. The troupe promised fun with music, magic, and comedy. Baron Seeman, a Frenchman, arrived with his illusion act in 1884. The courthouse once again served as the stage for Seeman and his assistant Miss Marie who astounded the crowds of Calhoun County with their act. Unlike many entertainers of the day, Seeman gave away gifts to the audience.

Some the traveling groups came to Jacksonville not only for the entertainment of the citizens but also to perform benefit concerts for the Normal School. The Weston Combination, came in 1892 to perform a benefit for the school. A portion of the proceeds of the presentation were designated for the Normal School. The courthouse served as the stage for the acting troupe and the local newspaper reported that the group brought their own scenery and lighting.

While the majority of entertainment troupes came from outside the county, there were occasions when local citizens found ways to entertain their neighbors. In 1851, the Ladies of Calhoun County organized a Christmas Concert. The young men of Jacksonville held a tournament with the citizens of Germania at Sulfur Springs on May Day 1884. The sporting events would continue for most of the day and at the end of the day the fairest young lady would be crowned Queen of the May Day. These were just some of the ways the early citizens of Calhoun County entertained themselves.

Entertainment was vital to the well-being of the citizens on the frontier. During the early 1800s, Calhoun County was considered part of the frontier. When these traveling groups came to the county, it provided a glimpse of the life many left behind in the original colonies to make their way in this new land. As the county developed and flourished, the entertainment venues multiplied and became more advanced. When movie houses arrived in the early 20th Century, that was the death nail for many of these traveling shows.

To learn more about the history of Calhoun County pick up a copy of Images of America: Calhoun County (ISBN 978-0738589985), Anniston (ISBN 978-0738506012), or Anniston Revisited (ISBN 978-1467114752) by Kimberly O’Dell.

This blog post is ©2018 by Kimberly O’Dell and may not be reprinted (in part or in whole) without written permission and approval of the author Kimberly O’Dell.