Mighty Haag Circus

Mighty Haag Circus was started by Ernest Haag (17 June 1866 - 1 Feb. 1935) in Shreveport, Louisiana. His circus toured continuously for over 40 years, from 1891 to 1935. Ernest Haag Circus toured using a boat, carts, trains, horse pulled wagons and trucks. At the time it was one of the largest traveling Circus in the United States. Many of Haag performers went on to have very successful careers after working in Haag Circus. Harry James (1916–1983) grew up in the Mighty Haag Circus as his father, Everett Robert James, was the bandleader in Mighty Haag Circus. Harry James' mother, Myrtle Maybelle (Stewart), was an acrobat and horseback rider in the Circus. Maybelle and Everett liked Ernest Haag so much they gave their son his middle name, Harry Haag James. Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia while the Haag Circus was performing there. The James family departed the Circus in 1931 when Harry was 15. Laurence Brasfield of Uncle Cyp and Aunt Sap Brasfield start in the Haag Circus at age 14. Cornet player Don Essig played in Haag Circus. Starting as Haag performers Rube Walters and Heinie Emgard became a vaudeville act. Fisher's Performing Elephants continued tours after the Haag Circus ended. Ruby Haag Brown performed for 50 years in the Haag Circus, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Circus Hall of Fame and Shrine Circus.

The story goes that Ernest Haag ran away from home (Plymouth, Indiana) at age 12 to join a Circus. From Indiana he traveled to Philadelphia and New York shining shoes and selling newspapers. Then got a job as musician and an orchestra leader. Ernest played alto in the short lived Robinson Two-Car Show. He started a juice business. From Philadelphia he traveled south and turned his juice business into a minstrel show, that failed. He did a side show at the local fair grounds after purchasing a small tent from an old side-show man, Squire Bowman. At the age of 24, Ernest Haag started his circus show by purchasing a Flat-bottomed boat on the Red River near Shreveport, Louisiana in 1890. He hired local performers to put his show together and called it “The Big Show”. In 1895 he renamed the show the Mighty Haag Shows. Ed Conklin a local juggler was one of first performers. The show moved down the Catawba River to Bayou Teche. From there down the Atchafalaya river near Morgan City, Louisiana. In Morgan City Haag moved his show to carts and later and wagons as he toured by land. Haag added more carts and wagon to the show as he toured Louisiana and then Kansas.

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