Talk:John Robinson Circus

Yankee Robinson Circus
I'm not sure if "Yankee Robinson Circus" is the John Robinson Circus or not. Ideas? The date doesn't make sense for John Robinson Circus, because it was before it was acquired by Ringling Brothers. However, WLWT is a Cincinnati media outlet, so maybe it is related somehow? --David Tornheim (talk) 06:02, 5 January 2020 (UTC)

Original post
I'm taking a break. Here are some more resources I have not added yet:


 * 
 * accessed 4/22/17
 * accessed 4/22/17
 * Steam Calliope
 * About the mansion
 * About Tillie
 * accessed 4/22/17
 * Google Scholar search on John Robinson Circus
 * Google Scholar search on "Robinson Circus"
 * Google Scholar search on "Robinson Circus"

I have many more!

--David Tornheim (talk) 15:31, 7 January 2020 (UTC)

More #1

 * 


 * newspaper article mentioning buyout
 * newspaper article mentioning buyout

--David Tornheim (talk) 02:52, 14 January 2020 (UTC)

More #2
--David Tornheim (talk) 06:26, 9 February 2020 (UTC)
 * -- Sale of house

Elephants

 * Elephant broke through bridge

Notice
This article mentioned here: --David Tornheim (talk) 06:50, 5 January 2020 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_History

Questions for other editors
1. I created an article for the circus and for the owner, John H. Robinson (circus). I think they are both notable and worthy of their own articles. Even the elephant Tillie seems to be notable -- I have not provided all the RS on her yet. Any thoughts on that? --David Tornheim (talk) 06:40, 5 January 2020 (UTC)

2. I am having second thoughts on the name of John H. Robinson (circus), since it sounds just like the circus. Suggestions for a better name? --David Tornheim (talk) 06:42, 5 January 2020 (UTC)

3. How to deal with Images/Getting help: I showed a friend who is not a Wikipedian the article and asked for feedback. My friend found a bunch of relevant pictures, including one of Tille's gravestone. But I told him/her that there are no doubt copyright problems if s/he didn't own them. When I tried uploading pics before it was a nightmare and I prefer not to try again. I'd rather someone else do it. I asked my friend if s/he was willing to do the work, and my friend said yes.

However, I would like to know this: Would it be considered canvassing if I asked him/her to make an account and upload the pictures? [I have been accused and warned about canvassing in the distant past, and I don't want to cross any lines.] I think it wouldn't be canvassing, because I have seen a long-term editor ask another long-term editor if s/he could take a pic for a historic fire house, since the second lived near the firehouse.

One of my concerns is that if my friend were did make an account and then put this article on his/her watchlist and my friend knows me--well, I hope you can see the possible COI issue with two people who know each other editing the same article, especially if there is some conflict, which I don't expect. I could always ask my friend to not edit the article, or declare that we know each other if my friend does want to change the article. Is there anything I could do in advance to prevent any problems? Maybe go to AN/I and ask? Any other thoughts on this?

I would love help uploading the pics. If someone is good at doing pics and willing to help me do it, I might do it myself, if the steps are clear: Like how do you typically ask permission for a photo and get it in a form that Wikipedia will accept. --David Tornheim (talk) 14:00, 5 January 2020 (UTC)
 * Just looking in from WP:History.
 * John Robinson the circus owner may well be notable and worthy of his own article, but at the moment the article appears to be purely about the circus – even the most basic details about Robinson himself, such as his birth and death dates, are missing.
 * It's certainly possible that Tillie the elephant is notable: I haven't looked into her at all, but some animals are – Category:Circus animals has 15 members, and Category:Individual elephants 73.
 * I would have put Robinson at John H. Robinson (circus owner).
 * Caeciliusinhorto (talk) 11:37, 5 January 2020 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the feedback. In response to your 3 points.
 * 1. John Robinson the circus owner may well be notable... He also created an Opera Hall.    Not particularly exciting in itself.  From the article:
 * He built the Robinson's Opera-House in 1872.
 * These two articles say more about his son's (or grandson's death). So basically there is other unrelated WP:RS, but I certainly agree with you that the bulk of the material--as best I know it--is related to his circus.  But please keep in mind, there is so much material that comes up for "John Robinson", "Robinson Circus", etc. that it's really hard to tell for sure if he has a significant number of other things worthy of his own article.  At this time, I don't oppose a merge if someone proposes it, but I might quickly change my mind as I dig into the WP:RS more.
 * 2. It's certainly possible that Tillie the elephant is notable  Thanks for the new information.  I didn't know about other notable elephants, but I'm not surprised--I watched a bunch of videos about the elephant in Hawaii who broke out of the circus after killing to people and running around the streets who was gunned down by police. (If you haven't seen it, I can dig a short video on it.  You might have a different idea bout circus animals after seeing it.)
 * As for Tillie, I have a bunch of links for her I found two years ago when I was looking for info. on everything related to the circus, but I have not posted them yet or reviewed them at all again. I'm not sure how many would count as WP:RS for us, so on my end, it's still speculative as to whether she is notable, but I'm pretty sure she is.
 * I guess the question is whether she would warrant a separate article even if she is notable. It's likely that all of the portion of her life that is documented (except her capture and sale to the circus), that she was in the hands of the Robinson Circus until she died. I may try and look at the other notable elephants that have a separate article, and see if they have a similar history of belonging to only one circus, or if there is something special about them that puts them above the top that they need their own article.  It's not clear to me whether she would meet any of those requirements or not.
 * FYI. There are pictures of her grave.  Separate question (#3) related to that added in the question section above.
 * 3. I would have put Robinson at John H. Robinson (circus owner) Thanks for the feedback.  I made the change.  That's what I was thinking too.  Didn't want to do too many more moves before I got feedback.  I had already moved it once before.
 * Thanks again for your help. FYI.  I added a third question above to keep the questions together.
 * --David Tornheim (talk) 14:00, 5 January 2020 (UTC)

Images
Continue searching this for more relevant images:. --David Tornheim (talk) 03:20, 14 January 2020 (UTC)

Pics posted on Facebook
Perhaps we could get permission for some of the pics posted here. I will ask the person who posted that. --David Tornheim (talk) 17:44, 8 February 2020 (UTC)

1920 Duluth lynchings
This circus is intimately and infamously connected with one of the most notorious lynching episodes in circus and Minnesota history. That it's not mentioned here is a pretty grave oversight. If no one else is willing to add a mention, I will. WhampoaSamovar (talk) 02:37, 22 June 2021 (UTC)
 * It wasn't an intentional oversight. I am far more familiar with Cincinnati and Terrace Park history, and I don't remember the lynchings coming up in all the Google searches (above) I had done.  To be honest, the online sources seemed to be pretty weak considering how substantial an entity it seemed to have been.  It just seemed to be a smattering of random things about either the circus and more about the various John Robinson's than the circus itself.  Probably a robust article could be created from digging at the local libraries rather than relying on on-line sources.  Would be a big project.  I was hoping some circus buffs would pick up on it and add to this article, but little has happened to it since I created it three years ago.
 * Please feel free to add the lynchings. I am guessing you know the sources.  --David Tornheim (talk) 08:46, 4 April 2023 (UTC)