Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters
About this property
The International Circus Hall of Fame is a museum and hall of fame which honors important figures in circus history. It is located in Peru, Indiana, United States, on the former grounds of the Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters, also known as the Peru Circus Farm and Valley Farms. The property includes rare surviving circus buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was designated a National Historic Landmark for its historical importance. The Peru property was a prosperous farm when it was purchased in 1891 by Benjamin Wallace, owner of the Wallace Circus. From then until 1944 the property served as the winter quarters for a succession of circus companies, most created by succession or merger with Wallace's operation. In 1921, the American Circus Corporation acquired the property and Wallace's circus operation, and expanded the facilities. American Circus was sold to John Ringling in 1929, and it housed Ringling Brothers operations until declines in the circus business prompted its closure in 1944. The property was then returned to agricultural use, and a number of the surviving circus-related buildings were significantly altered or demolished. The location was temporarily closed in January 2022 for repairs. The Ringling Brothers Circus had established their winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida in 1927, with a large amount of help by Victor Sabattini (1916–2010), an insurance executive, who later became the president and chairman of the board. In the mid-1950s the idea to create a hall of fame to honor outstanding circus artists was conceived of by circus fans in the Sarasota community and in 1956 the Circus Hall of Fame opened. Located near the Sarasota airport, the Hall of Fame included exhibition space in several buildings filled with circus memorabilia, including personal effects from famous circus artists and impresarios – costumes, props, posters and circus wagons. In addition to the exhibits, the Circus Hall of Fame presented circus acts several times a day, during several months each year. In addition to visits by Florida tourists, the Circus Hall of Fame received national exposure. NBC-TV broadcast "The Circus Hall of Fame All Star Circus" on Sept. 12, 1970. The host, Ed McMahon, conveyed congratulations to the four newly named inductees to the Circus Hall of Fame for 1970 including famous circus performers, The Rieffenach Sisters (bareback riders), aerialists Mayme Ward and Ira Millette, and circus impresario Billy Smart Sr. Although up to 80,000 tourists visited the Circus Hall of Fame each year, by the late 1970s it was unprofitable and the owners prepared to close the museum. In 1980 the lease on the property expired and on May 27, 1980, the Sarasota Circus Hall of Fame had its last performance.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters
This page lists Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters listed on the National Register?
Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 27, 1987.
What type of historic resource is Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters?
Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters?
The period of significance for Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Miami County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Miami County.
Explore MiamiCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Quarters will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.