Cole Bros Circus 1944 Photo Rigging Wagon Grand Island NE 4.5 x 3

This 1944 photograph shows Cole Bros Circus rigging wagons and transport equipment in Grand Island, Nebraska, documenting the logistical infrastructure behind a traveling American circus during the World War II era.

Cole Bros Circus operated as one of the major touring shows of the mid-twentieth century, moving extensive equipment, animals, and personnel between towns across the United States. Circus operations depended on specialized wagons and vehicles used to transport tents, rigging, and structural components required to assemble the show on each new lot. During the wartime period, such operations continued under constraints on fuel, labor, and materials, making visual records of working circus transport especially significant.

The image shows two circus wagons marked with numbers 101 and 65 positioned on a dirt lot, connected to a truck used for hauling equipment. The wagons appear to be rigging or supply units, with slatted sides and enclosed compartments for transporting gear. Industrial buildings and scattered materials in the background situate the scene within a working setup area, while the handwritten notation on the reverse identifies the location as Grand Island, Nebraska and dates the photograph to 1944.

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