Show Grounds

CIRCUS SHOW GROUND LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CHARLESTON OVER THE YEARS.

In Charleston's early years, there were many open spaces waiting to be filled with houses, businesses, and buildings of all type. These empty spaces were often used for events that needed a large space to hold their entertainment like a circus or carnival. But the list you see here is all about the different circuses that set-up in Charleston over the decades.

Here are the EXACT words used in the advertisments and articles at that time.

1907.......... Ruffner Show Grounds

1912.......... Virginia Street Show Grounds

1914.......... Show Grounds at Ruffner & Jackson Sts.

1914.......... Show Grounds Virginia Street.

1915.......... Show Grounds at Washington & Ruffner streets

1916 ......... Next to Luna Park (Florida St)

1916.......... Fitxgerald Addition Circus Grounds. (Florida St)

1917 ...........Fitzgerald Show Grounds Next to Luna Park (Florida St)

1917........... Park Ave Show Grounds

1918........... Circus Grounds at Russell St. and 2nd Ave.

1919........... Virginia Street and Park Ave.

1922........... White City Show Grounds at Washington and Court Streets.

1923........... 8th and MacCorkle St. Show Grounds. Also Eight and MacCorkle Street Show Grounds,

1923........... Virginia Street Show Grounds at Park Ave.

1923........... At Show Grounds Reynolds and Virginia Streets.

1923............ Virginia Street Show Grounds

1924............ Virginia and Reynolds Streets.

1927............ Brown and Reynolds Street Near River.

1929............ Second Ave and Florida Street.

1931............ Reynolds and Brown Street

1931............ Show Grounds at MacCorkle Ave and 19th Street

1933............ Reynolds Street Show Grounds

1934............ Brown and Reynolds Street.

1936............ Show Grounds are at Valley Bell Park. Florida Street and 2nd Ave.

1938............ Valley Bell Park Show Grounds

1940.......... New Show Grounds at Piedmont Road, Brooks and Broad Sts. opposite the K&M passenger depot.

1942........... New Show Grounds on Virginia Street at the Elk River bridge,

1942........... Virginia Street Show Grounds between Clendennin and Virginia St. Bridge.

1943........... Virginia Street Show Grounds near the Blvd. Bridge.

1948........... Show Grounds 2500 Block Washington Street W. North Charleston ( Kelly Field )

1948............West Washington St. Show Grounds.

1949........... Show Grounds at the end of the Kanawha City Bus Line.

1949........... Show Grounds Kanawha City next to the Charleston Gun Club.

1949........... Show Grounds Stop 5 in North Charleston (Kelly Field)

1953........... Show Grounds will be at Seventh Ave and Twenty Eights St. in North Charleston. (Kelly Field)

We know that this is not a complete list, as during the 1800s, the Show Grounds were located in unusual places like Summers and State Streets. (now Lee St) Also, the most interesting to me are the Show Grounds at Piedmont Road and Brooks and Broad Streets.