In small-town America at the turn of the 20th century and into the succeeding decades, one of the highlights of the year was the annual arrival of the circus. The excitement was palpable as the colorful posters proclaiming its appearance were slapped up on walls and any other available space weeks before the show's arrival by advance men, wielding buckets of pungent-smelling paste and long-handled brushes.

The large, vibrant posters promised a breathtaking mix of death-defying high wir ...

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