Hello Earl...

I did a search on NewspaperArchive.com and found this article about a new city ordinance in the August 27, 1857 edition of The Fort Wayne Weekly Times in Indiana:

"Be it ordained by the common Council of the city of Fort Wayne, That every person and all persons desiring to exhibit any menagerie, caravan, animal or collection of animals, circus, theatre, or theatrical or comical performance, or any natural curiosity, wax works, or figures, or any feats of tumbling, slight of hand, rope or wire dancing, necromancy or ventriloquism, within the limits of said city, shall first obtain from the Mayor and city Clerk of said city a license permitting such exhibition... The rate to be charged by the Mayor for any such license, shall not be less than five or more than fifty dollars."

Most mentions from the time period refer to entertainers and circus acts that "rope-danced" which most times was nothing more than jumping rope or doing rope tricks of some type. Apparently the general public needed a license to have fun. Go figure.

Don