Heidelberg Raceway and Sports Arena
Heidelberg, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Opened in 1948, this former Pittsburgh Racing Assoc. racetrack was the site of the 1956 final performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus under the Big Top. Rising railroad costs, changing technology, labor troubles, space issues, and competition from TV led to this end of an era in entertainment history. The site of early NASCAR races, it boasted several records and brought acclaim to local and national racers before closing in 1973.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Opened in 1948, Heidelberg Raceway near Pittsburgh became a lively hub of postwar American entertainment. Its track hosted early NASCAR races that set records and launched local and national drivers to fame, while in 1956 its grounds witnessed the final performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus under the legendary Big Top. Rising costs, new technology, labor troubles, and the pull of television spelled the end for both the circus tent and, by 1973, the raceway itself.
Why it matters
The site marks a turning point in American popular entertainment, where the fading age of the traveling circus and the rise of motorsports crossed paths on a single stretch of Pennsylvania ground.
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Related events
- · Final performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus under the Big Top, 1956
Themes & tags
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