Introduction

Rich in history and founded in camaraderie, The Showmen’s League of America is a community of showpeople - both men and women - dedicated to service and fellowship. By providing scholarships, financial aid and memorial services, we promote the mutual welfare of our members and all showpeople, in good times and bad. By maintaining our traditions, we honor the legacy of those who have come before us. By welcoming new members from all areas of the amusement industry, we build a strong future. We invite you to our website and to join us, to share our mission, and join in friendship with some of the greatest men and women in the world.

The Showmen's League of America was founded in 1913, by a group of outdoor showmen meeting at the Saratoga Hotel in Chicago. Buffalo Bill Cody, the Wild West performer, was elected the Club's first President. The Showmen's League of America is the oldest organization of its type in North America.

2011 Showmen's Rest Memorial Day Flag Placement

by Board Member Dave Jaros

Memorial day is one of the two days that really show what this club is about (The other is the Christmas party).

As you drive to Showmen's Rest, you drive past Catholic cemeteries, Jewish cemiteries, Lutheran, Budhist, and many others. As I was placing flags on the individual graves, I began noticing the names on the headstones. Although there were many different Nationalities, and undoubtly many different religions, there was no distinction between any of them; they were buried side by side. This is what I believe the Showmen's League stands for, all one family, no distinctions, everyone welcome.

If you have never been to Showmen's Rest it is a trip worth taking. Rich in history of the League, you find names on the headstones that you often hear in the stories that everyone tells at the get togethers, and see on the plaques at the club.

This year was even more meaningful, as we had just been there a week earlier to inter member and good friend George Bujalka. George was one of the regulars from previous Memorial day flag placements, now it was his turn for a flag. While were we were there, there was another addition to Showmen's Rest. June Parrish Voorhees was put to rest that day next to her husband who was buried there in 1976.

The Office of Woodlawn Cemetery also has a lot of history pertaining to the League, and they enjoy sharing it. They have articles from many of the news papers that have written about Showman's Rest, even the latest inclusion in the book and movie "Water for Elephants". The area Clown association even has a memorial in early August for the Circus members intered there.

This is one of the cornerstones of the Showmen's League, one of the early benevolent works of the founders of the league. It should be on everyone's list to visit when you are in Chicago. It truly defines the "Showmen's League".

Pictured from left to right: Dave Jaros, Rick Haney, Mike Romano, Past President Bill Johnson, Patty Grillion, Jeff Lapin, President Donnie Massie III, Drew Massie

2011 Showmen’s League of America Day a Big Success
Special thanks to Mary Johnson, Committee Chair

Fantasy Amusements - the home team for SLA Day in front of their latest addition: The Freakout

Chestnut Apparel made and modeled the T-Shirts which feature our new building