Cole Bros Circus 1945 Photo Elephant Herd Janesville Wisconsin - 4.5 x 2.5

This 1945 photograph shows a herd of elephants with the Cole Bros Circus in Janesville, Wisconsin, documenting the scale and organization of animal groups within a traveling circus during the mid-twentieth century.

Cole Bros Circus was known for its large animal acts, with elephant herds forming a major component of both performance and public interest. Managing multiple elephants required coordinated handling, training, and transport, with herds often presented together in both performance settings and informal moments such as staging or rest periods. Images like this highlight the logistical side of circus operations beyond the main ring.

The photograph features a line of elephants standing across an open field, accompanied by handlers and several children positioned in the foreground. A typed caption along the top identifies the location and date as Janesville, Wisconsin, July 19, 1945, while an additional note points to an individual identified as Robert Kitto, age 7. The composition captures both the scale of the herd and the interaction between people and animals in a candid circus environment.

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