Cole Bros Circus History
1906 - Cole Bros. Circus (originally of Rochester, Indiana) was founded by Martin J. Downs in . Downs named the circus for W.W. "Chilly Billy" Cole, the first man to make $1 million in the circus business.
1939 - Cole Bros. Circus, the very last show to abandon the tradition of the circus street parade.
February 20, 1940 - winter quarters suffered one of the worst circus fires in history.
1941 - company's permanent address was listed as Louisville, KY.
Zack Terrell toured Cole Bros. Circus through 1948, at which time he sold it to Arthur M. Wirtz and associates.
July 22, 1949 - Cole Bros Circus closes