Tour of Homes

Corner of Trinity St & E. Jefferson St.

From the winter of 1929-30 until the winter of 1944-45, a traveling circus, Barnett Brothers Circus, later known as Wallace Brothers Circus, made its winter quarters here in York. This winter quarters site was in the country at the time. According to The Billboard, the first quarters consisted of a large and fairly new stone building across Jefferson Street [destroyed by fire in 1987 and restored by Republic Textiles]. In 1937, the metal-clad building with the circus lettering on the side of it on the corner of Trinity and East Jefferson streets, along with several other buildings, was built. The “bull building,” where the elephants were kept, stood directly behind the Methodist Church and the “bull line,” where the elephants were tethered during the day, was in the northwest corner of the lot almost opposite the bull building. The circus lettering still appears on the side of the metal-clad building. Altogether, the winter quarters occupied almost the entire city block. The trumpeting of elephants and the roar of lions could be heard throughout the town on quiet days. When Christmas parades were held during the years the circus wintered here, Santa Claus came to York riding on an elephant. A number of the circus performers, upon retirement, made their homes here in York. One, a star of the Wild West Show, made a substantial contribution in establishing the local cattle-raising industry.

South side East Liberty Street - Continued