Eagle Feathers #153 –The Big Top

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The Somerville Gateway Mural, also known as the Washington Mural, is located in the heart of Union Square. It is painted on the east side of the Barristers Hall Building. It depicts horseman General George Washington witnessing his troops raise the first American flag on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776.

For 24 years Be Sargent’s creation has taught Somerville history to the masses. The prominent figure in the painting is the General mounted on his warhorse, “Bluestone.” Washington loved horses and was considered the best horseman of his era by his peers. After the war, he frequented America’s first circus, which began in Philadelphia. The trained horses intrigued him to the point that he donated one of his own prized stallions to John Bill Ricketts, the circus owner.

The concept of the circus dates back to ancient Rome where its name originated. The actual name for circus comes from the Latin word “circle.” Our modern version began in England in 1742, a century before Somerville’s 1842 founding. Its highlight was the display of former British Cavalry officers exhibiting their horsemanship and acrobatic prowess.

Phineas T. Barnum didn’t invent the circus, but he increased its size and popularity immeasurably when he put it on the road. Beginning with his American Museum of Curiosities in New York City, he later transformed his circus into “The Greatest Show on Earth.” His creations at one time, whether they were one, two, or three rings in size, would excite the young and the elderly in every town and city it visited. In Somerville, the showman offered his trusteeship and built and endowed the Barnum Museum of Natural History at Tufts University.

This is where the remains of his famous, “Jumbo the Elephant” were exhibited until they were destroyed in a fire on April 14, 1975. Throughout its Medford and Somerville campus, you can find memorabilia honoring the greatest animal attraction in United States history.

Years ago, Circus Day, with its grand parade celebrating the Big Top, was one of the colossal events of the year. To most, it was like the Fourth of July and a trip to the zoo combined.

The New-York based Big Apple Circus is celebrating its 40th season this month and, due to popular demand, has extended its performance at Assembly Row. The American “Big Top” is alive and well.