No Puppet Shows!

Before Grove City had a police department, the town marshal enforced local laws which included a variety of exhibitions that required licenses issued by the mayor. Local laws prohibited puppet shows, wire dancing, tumbling, juggling, menagerie, panoramas, a circus or any game that was slight of hand. Those who violated any of those laws were required to forfeit any illicit income and pay a $5 fine for each offense. Guess we’ll never know if the 1928 American Legion’s amateur minstrel show or Mrs. L. E. Grant’s April 4, 1929 masquerade party was held without being fined. The town marshal also had other unpleasant duties. He had to insure a dead horse, cow, hog, sheep or other animal found on a village street was promptly removed.