Name/Title
Circus, 1978Entry/Object ID
2007-012.C420PDescription
Circus, 1978. These eleven black and white contact print strips were created for the Lacey Leader newspaper. Note that most of these images are so faded as to be nearly blank. This description comes from the corresponding film negative strips (C 420 N). These images were created using four separate film negative strips, so some of the physical numbers on the strips are repeated. For the purposes of this description, the strips will be grouped according to the film roll from which they originally came. Each group will be assigned a lower-case letter to go along with the physical numbers on the strips (1a, 2a, 3a, 1b, 2b, 3b, etc.) to help differentiate between images.
The images in group "a" show elephants, monkeys, horses and people viewing these animals. Image 14a shows an elephant in a leather harness attached to several chains and standing in a grassy field. The elephant occupies most of the right-hand side of the image, and the back end and back legs of the elephant are outside of the image frame. In the background of the left-hand side of the image are approximately 25 spectators. Image 15a is very similar to the previous image, but here the elephant is reaching forward with its trunk. The head of a second elephant is visible beyond the main nearest elephant. Image 16a shows two elephants standing in the left-hand half of the image, and two children and a parked semi truck on the right-hand side. The two elephants are facing generally toward the camera. One of the two children is wearing sunglasses and looking in the general direction of the camera. The second child is mostly obscured behind the child in the sunglasses. The front end of the semi is at the right-hand edge of the image, and the back of the trailer appears to be open. The side of the trailer reads "BROS" and "CIRC." The "US" in "circus" is not visible because that portion of the word is printed on a door in the side of the trailer which is open. A man is hanging off of the side of the trailer at the door, and he is holding what appears to be a chair or small table. Image 17a shows two little girls looking at a tiger and a leopard. The tiger and leopard are inside of a partitioned cage on wheels. Both girls are facing away from the camera. Image 18a shows many people lined up at a rope along the left-hand side of the image, and the cages with the leopard and tiger at the right-hand side of the image. The leopard is the only caged animal visible in this image. Image 19a shows a baboon in a cage. The baboon's hands are resting on the bottom frame of the cage's bars. The baboon is looking toward the camera. Image 20a is nearly identical to image 19a. Image 21a is very similar to the two previous images, but here the baboon is holding its left hand to its mouth. Image 22a shows spectators viewing a lion in a cage. Two men are in the near foreground of the image facing away from the camera. The lion is visible between these two men. The vague outline of a second animal is visible in the cage to the right of the one holding the lion. This second animal appears to be a bear. Image 23a shows approximately seven spectators viewing animals in their cages. The caged lion is at the center of the image. A large, rectangular, unknown piece of equipment is visible in the top-left corner of the image. Image 25a shows four ponies or wild horses. They may be Przewalski's horses. The two horses at the center are fully visible, and the two others are only partially visible. They are tied up along a chainlink fence, and a football stadium is visible in the background. Image 26a shows five adults and six children in front of a series of animal cages. One of the adults and two of the children are walking toward the right-hand side of the image, and the rest of the people are standing and facing toward the cages and away from the camera. The animals within the cages are not visible in this image. Image 28a shows two adults and five children viewing animals in the cages. There are five bicycles amongst these people. Image 28a is similar to the previous image, but here the photographer has panned toward the right slightly. The group of people and bicycles is on the left-hand side of the image. Images 29a through 31a are very similar to image 28a. Image 32a shows two elephants standing next to each other and facing away from the camera. The shot is looking down through the space between the two elephants. There is a round or cylindrical container partially visible just beyond the elephants, and this container has a short hose coming out of it. Water is coming out of the hose and filling a large bowl which the elephants are drinking out of. Images 33a and 34a are nearly identical to image 32a. Image 35a is very similar to the previous images, but the bottom half of the image is blank.
The images in group "b" show many people helping to spread out the "big top" tent for the circus, and elephants standing near the open trailer of a semi truck. Image 21b shows many people helping to spread out the big top tent. The tent is on the left-hand side of the image, and the people are pulling it toward the right. The group of people spreading the tent out range from children to older adults. Images 22b and 23b are very similar to the previous image. Image 24b shows people pulling the tent from the right-hand side toward the left. A UHAUL with the back open is visible in the background. Image 25b shows people spreading out the tent. The tent itself occupies most of the image frame. Various vehicles and a building are visible in the background. Image 26b shows many people helping to spread out the big top tent. Images 27b through 37b show a very similar scene to that of image 26b. Image 38b shows three elephants standing near the open back of a semi truck trailer. One additional elephant is partially visible at the left-hand side of the image. A woman, a man and a child are standing between the camera and the elelphants, and they are looking toward the elephants. Image 39b is very similar to the previous image, but here the photographer has either zoomed out or moved away from the elephants and semi. There is a small group of people standing near the right-hand edge of the image. Images 40b through 42b shows many people helping to spread the big top tent out. They are pulling the tent from the right-hand side of the image toward the left.
The images in group "c" show people sitting on benches and ice cream cones. Image 39c shows one young man and one young woman seated on two separate benches. The man has his hands clasped together and the woman is looking at a document in her hands. These benches are backed up against a wall. Painted on the wall between the two people is "CENTRALIA." Image 40b shows approximately 20 stacks of unfilled ice cream cones on top of a metal counter. Image 41b shows the same stacks of ice cream cones, but here the photographer has moved away from the cones. Here it can be seen that these cones are on top of an ice cream case in an ice cream parlor. This image was captured from an end of the ice cream case and looking down its length. Image 42b shows a more close-up shot of the stacked ice cream cones. Image 43b shows an even more close-up view of the cones.
The images in group "d" show elephants. Image 21d shows an elephant standing near a large metal bowl. Two people are standing near the elephant. One of these people is bending over toward the bowl. This man's head is obscured behind the elephant. The second man is standing to the left of the elephant and facing away from the camera. The elephant is facing away from the camera. Image 22d shows elephants drinking water out of a large metal bowl. One elephant is occupying most of the left-hand side of the image, and one is occupying most of the right-hand side. Both elephants are facing away from the camera. The trunk of a third elephant is visible dipping into the bowl.Made/Created
Date made
1978 - 1978Notes
Medium: AcetateLexicon
Search Terms
People, Events, Animals, Food