April 18, 2026

Circus Parade in Front of Gumm’s Store – Onaway Michigan c1905

Sepia-Toned Street Scene Of An Elephant-Led Parade With Crowds Outside Storefronts, Labeled “Street From Gumm’s Store Looking East, Onaway Mich.

Circus Parade in Front of Gumm’s Store — Onaway, Michigan (c. 1905)

An elephant and handlers lead a circus parade down an unpaved main street in Onaway, as onlookers pack the sidewalks outside Gumm’s Store. The photo itself is labeled, “Street from Gumm’s Store, looking east, Onaway Mich.”

In the early 1900s, traveling circuses didn’t just arrive — they announced themselves with a rolling parade meant to draw a crowd.

Do you know which circus this was, or have family stories about “circus day” in downtown Onaway?

#Onaway #PresqueIsleCounty #MichiganHistory #CircusParade #VintageMichigan

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Michaela Nolte

Michaela is a history buff and loves to export historical markers and old buildings and seeks stories about Michigan and Great Lakes history. When she is not writing, you can find her with a good book sipping wine on the beach.

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