Museum

Our museum is an ongoing project dedicated to showcasing the many aspects of Terrace Park history . There are currently exhibits for the Robinson Circus, the Terrace Park School, the Terrace Park Players, St. Thomas Church, Covalt Station, artist Charles Meurer, Terrace Park Businesses, Terrace Park Houses & Subdivisions, the Terrace Park Police, and the Voluntary Fire & EMS Departments.

Exhibits

The Robinson Circus

Background:
Terrace Park was the winter quarters of the Robinson Circus between 1866-1914. John F. Robinson (also known as John II & the Governor) purchased the Circus House and 20 acres of land from James Sibley. The 20 acres of Robinson land is now Robinwood Lane, Circus Place, Elm Lane and Wrenwood Lane.

The Robinson Circus started in 1842 and toured until 1911. They sold the circus in 1914. Everything was sold except John Robinson’s beloved elephants! The elephants Tillie, Clara, Pit, and Tony continued to live in Terrace Park until the last surviving elephant, Pit, was sold to the Cole Brothers Circus in 1943.

While the elephants lived in Terrace Park, John G. Robinson III and John G. Robinson IV continued to show & perform with the elephants for events including political affairs. The elephants occasionally gave rides to children and sometimes were spotted helping a farmer plow his field!

Highlights of the Circus Exhibit:

Lynn Nelson’s 30-minute circus presentation to the Women’s Club
Original John Robinson Circus posters and costumes
George McIlveen’s miniature circus display
Original artifacts belonging to the Robinson family and the 1899 Robinson Circus route book and programs are located in the glass cases. Copies of the fragile books and pamphlets were made for our guests to thumb through!
Elephant display – read about the Robinson elephants in a letter from John G. Robinson IV to a reporter at Billboard.
Circus performers John Lowlow, Mabel Belle Reed, Lewis Willis, Dan Rice, Sidney Rink, Lizzie Lewis, and Princess Sotanki.

Terrace Park School

Background:
It began as a four-room school built in 1872 on Elm Avenue in front of the present building. The first high school commencement was in 1890 for Mary Highlands, who was a graduating class of one. In 1913 a new school was built which is now part of the present-day school. Colony buildings were added in 1927, 1931, and 1938 to accommodate students from Plainville, Newtown and Camp Denison.

The last high school class to graduate from Terrace Park School was in 1957 when Terrace Park became part of the Mariemont School system.

Highlights of the Terrace Park School Exhibit:

The 1890 Commencement Program for the lone graduate Mary Highlands
Terrace Park Bulldog newspapers from 1931, 1942, 1949, and 1957
Terrace Park Yearbooks from 1931 – 1957
Carol Wiebold’s majorette uniform from the 1956-1957 school year
High School artifacts

Terrace Park Players

Background:
The Terrace Park Players operated from 1958 through 1991. Over the course of 34 years, they performed 86 plays, musicals, supper clubs and concerts. It is estimated that between the years of 1958-1991, over 1,000 people, adults and children, took part in Terrace Park Players productions! Many of the original scripts, songs and lyrics were written by members of the Terrace Park Players.

Highlights of the Terrace Park Players Exhibit:

Running slide show of various musicals and plays
Playbills from the productions
Original music and lyrics
Photographs from the productions