The Associations Celebrated and Extensive: Menagerie and Aviary from their Zoological Institutes, New York

×

Error message

  • Deprecated function: Unparenthesized `a ? b : c ? d : e` is deprecated. Use either `(a ? b : c) ? d : e` or `a ? b : (c ? d : e)` in include_once() (line 1389 of /var/www/html/otra/includes/bootstrap.inc).
  • Deprecated function: Unparenthesized `a ? b : c ? d : e` is deprecated. Use either `(a ? b : c) ? d : e` or `a ? b : (c ? d : e)` in include_once() (line 1389 of /var/www/html/otra/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Legend
venue map legend

Event Type

Exhibition
  • Performer/Company: Association's Menagerie
  • Performer/Company: Jack Downing (Major Jack Downing, also known as Dandy Jack, trained and exhibited the trick horse Black Hawk (Vail, 136), who is most likely the Shteland Poney the Chronicle and Gazette referes to.  (Chronicle & Gazette 13 June, 1835, 1) Vail , R. W. G. “RANDOM NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE EARLY AMERICAN CIRCUS .” American Antiquarian Society, Apr. 1933, p. 136.)
  • Performer/Company: Black Hawk (Trainer: Jack Downing )

Details

Location: Kingston
County: Frontenac
Type: Exhibition
Venue:
Date: 26 Jun 1835
Date notes:

Notes

Two pavillions constructed, each 100 feet in diameter and large enough to hold 4000 spectators. Set up at the rears of the Court House and St. George's Church (Chronicle & Gazette 13 June, 1835, 1). 

Programme Notes

Travelling world of animate curiosities, consisting of Wild Beasts and Birds. 

List of curiosities of exhibited: 

  • Elephant- saddled, trimmed and decorated after the Eastern style. Can ride elephant. 
  • Condor- The bird is a native of Chili, and the adjacent islands, largest bird known that has the power of flying. 
  • Pair of White Pelicans- these are the real White Pelicans from the wilds of Africa. 
  • Black Maned Cape Lion 
  • Male Zebra 
  • Pair of African Leopards 
  • A Spotted Hyena 
  • A pair of Burthen Camels 
  • Oriental Crested Porcupine 
  • A Zebu- this animal is the only one of it's kind exhibited on this continent. 
  • Pair of American Panthers 
  • Angora Goat 
  • Brazilian Tiger 
  • Texas Buffalo 
  • Pair of Peruvian Foxes 
  • A Man- Monkey 
  • Talking Parrots 
  • Two enormous living serpents- the Boa Constrictor and Anacoda. 
  • Gnu, or Horned Horse- from the Cape of Good Hope (shape of the body partakes of the Horse, the Ox, the Stag and the Antelope, it is fierce, vicious, and apparently untameable). 

During the exhibition Jack Downing will be introduced, mounted on a Shetland Poney who will perform a number of whimsical as well as amusing feats. 

The Keeper will enter the cage in which the African Leopard and Leopards are confined at 3 o'clock pm.

To render the [event]... more attractive, the proprieters have enganged a Band of Musicians...who will execute favorite national airs, Marchers, overtures &c. The musicians will be seated in the splendid saddle, upon the back of the Elephant as the Grand Procession passes through the town. 

In a seperate pavillion there is a collection of paintings of different cities in Europe and America, Battles of Waterloo, Slamanca, New Orleans, Falls of Niagra, Regent Street, London, New Londing Bridge, and others.

A total of eighty men, including the musicans, and horses were required for the exhibition to take place. 

(Chronicle & Gazette 13 June, 1835, 1)