With the news of the Rochester Country Fair returning to town this summer making recent headlines, Connie Eshbach of the Rochester Historical Society looks back on the Rochester Circus of yesteryear, complete with exotic animals and a parade around the Town Green.

During the last two years many of us found new ways to entertain ourselves. We spent more time on outdoor sports (even in winter), went on hikes, sat around fire rings, and watched movies in the backyard. 

Many of these activities were bolstered by the need to get away from the screens that were dominating our work and school lives. We also got creative with drive-by car parades to acknowledge important events. 

Long before TV and the Internet, Rochester residents in the 1900s came up with a wide variety of ways to entertain themselves and their community. There were clubs, including men’s, women’s, 4H and town sports teams. 

Church suppers and picnics, plays and variety shows put on at the Grange Hall and dances (seemingly every weekend) throughout the area provided plenty of entertainment.

 However, in 1909, one resident of Rochester, Mary Holmes, came up with a novel idea. She began promoting and organizing a town circus. 

Now in the recent past we have had a circus big top set up on land at Plumb Corner that is now part of the new condo community being built, but Holmes' circus was quite different.

On Aug. 11, 1909, there was a circus parade around the Town Green led by the master of ceremonies, Richard Stiles. He was the great-grandson of Rufus Savery, who had lived in what was thought to be the oldest house in Rochester. The house was later torn down and moved to Bourne. 

The parade included band wagons, townspeople in interesting costumes and a collection of exotic “animals.’’

A Roman chariot was driven by L.C. Humphrey's daughter, Helen, dressed in an appropriate costume. Her chariot was made from the wheel arch of her father's old mowing machine, a pole platform and a piece of old metal shaped to form the front. 

Tobey and Reuben, Humphrey's team of black horses, pulled the chariot. Joseph Bradford also drove a team of horses, pulling a wagon in which he sat on a high seat, dressed in a borrowed suit and silk top hat. 

The " exotic" animals included "Necko", the giraffe. Necko was made of cloth and was moved along by two boys hidden inside. One boy held a long pole to support the giraffe's head and neck. 

Mary Holmes, the circus' originator, rode astride her big black mare transformed into an elephant. The horse must have been very calm and patient as she was draped with gray cloth and had an elephant's head, complete with tusks and trunk that looked amazingly realistic. 

She was led by Maynard West dressed as a Turk with a cape, billowing trousers and a saber. Marion Nevius walked along dressed as the Queen of Sheba. 

Perhaps the favorite of the children watching the parade was Flora Chase, who rode inside the “monkey cage.’’ In addition to acting like a monkey, she also had handouts for the children. Her antics caused quite a stir.

On the Green, there was an "Indian " encampment with a large teepee (a Native American dwelling that would never have been found in the area) and schoolchildren dressed in costume. 

And of course, concession stands sold food and drink, adding to the enjoyment of those attending one and only Rochester Circus.