Contact the Archives
Every photograph, family name, remembered route, and small detail can open another doorway into the history of the American traveling midway.
We welcome your questions and memories
The American Midway Archives preserves the stories of the showmen, showwomen, families, workers, and businesses who built and sustained the American carnival. Some names are familiar. Others survive in an advertisement, a family album, a faded photograph, or a memory shared around the table.
If you have a question about a person, carnival company, traveling show, historic attraction, artifact, or the lives of people on the road, we welcome the opportunity to hear from you.
What would you like to share?
You may have family photographs, newspaper clippings, letters, route lists, programs, advertisements, recordings, or recollections. Perhaps you want to correct a detail in a published story, identify someone in a photograph, or connect a family name to a show.
Even a small clue can be important. Please tell us what you know, how you know it, and whether the material belongs to you or comes from another collection.
Send a message to The American Midway Archives
Use the contact form below to ask a research question, identify a photograph, suggest a correction, or tell us about historical material you would like to share. Include names, dates, places, and sources whenever possible.
Please do not send irreplaceable originals or sensitive personal information without first making arrangements. Sharing a story does not automatically grant publication permission.
Our work continues
The Archives is a growing historical record. New sources can expand, correct, and deepen earlier research. We strive to distinguish documented facts from family traditions, memories, and questions still awaiting evidence.
Explore Our Mission, The Legacy Project, and The American Midway Legacy Project to see how these histories are preserved.