For more than 100 years, youngsters of L-A have thrilled to the yearly news that “the circus is coming.”

It was an awe-inspiring event, and as I come across descriptions of those exotic exhibitions in our Twin Cities, I wish I could have seen it. Did the kids and their parents realize what a remarkable chapter of American history was unfolding for them, almost at their doorsteps? Did they realize that “Ringling Brothers World’s Greatest Shows,” the company that played in Lewiston numerous times, would become a revered name, even a century later?

Newspaper reports of those appearances are extraordinary by any standard. The Lewiston Journal advertisements presented mind-boggling promises, but those annual shows more than fulfilled the expectations of Maine audiences.

Here’s some of the promotional hoopla that accompanied the circus in early June of 1912:

“So far, exactly 102 men have visited the city in the interests of this big exhibition,” an advance story said. The “24-hour man” would be in town within a few hours “to lay out the show grounds at Lee Park and arrange the route of the big street parade Saturday morning.”

A “Joan of Arc spectacle” was that year’s main attraction. An advertisement said it would be “mounted on a stage bigger than 100 theatres” with a cast of 1,200. It included 300 dancing girls and a 400-voice chorus.

Other wonders promised for the circus visit were a 100-piece orchestra, 650 horses, 108 caged zoo animals, 30 camels, 40 elephants and 50 clowns.

In the early morning hours of show day, the circus train of 85 cars arrived from Bangor, where it had played “to enormous crowds the day before.” Four train sections rolled into the Maine Central rail yards at Whipple Street in Lewiston. In short order, the cars were unloaded, and the enormous operation was on the move to the circus grounds, where it would take shape for one magical day.

The news reports said many young boys rose early to meet the rail cars and mingle with the circus roustabouts as they went about their work. They raised the “cook-house tent” first before tackling the huge “white-top.”

The news story said, “The canvas city, which gives shelter to this vast array of men and beasts, covers an area of more than 14 acres.”

A street parade was slated for 10 a.m., and its route took it from Lee Park onto Sabattus Street, then to Main, Lisbon, Cedar and across South Bridge to New Auburn. It went up Main Street to Court Street and across the river on North Bridge to make its way back to the show grounds. Historical files, old postcards and newspaper archives hold plenty of pictures of those circus parades through L-A. They were indeed spectacular, but it was understood by the public a century ago that a good deal of hyperbole was part of the circus experience. Nevertheless, the show always delivered a good measure of entertainment for the 50-cent price of an adult ticket, half price for children under 12.

Some of the circus acts on the 1912 bill were “the famous Balkani equestrian troupe,” the “famous Saxon trio of strong men,” the Clarkonians, who were the only aerialists doing triple somersaults, and other trapeze performers.

Many of the clowns traveling with circus of that time became well-known. Among those appearing in Lewiston were The Three Deltorellis, who were said to be “the former court jesters of the Shah of Persia.”

Is it any wonder that circus day was something very special in Lewiston and Auburn? In my boyhood, the week-long World of Mirth, midway in conjunction with the Maine State Fair and other summer dates, was a similar, highly-anticipated event. In the mid ’60s, my wife and I took our two daughters to a performance of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus at Boston Garden. Looking back on the size and quality of that production, I can only imagine how special it must have been when great circuses came right to our hometown.

The shows have changed as issues such as the humane treatment of animals have been addressed, and some of the shady shenanigans of midway barkers have been suppressed. That’s all for the good, and today’s versions of the circus have introduced new excitement along with echoes of past years at “the Greatest Show on Earth.”

Dave Sargent is a freelance writer and a native of Auburn. He can be reached via email at [email protected].