The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World Book 70)

by Robert J. Gordon

There was no entertainment available to the average family in 1870, except for a few traveling musicians or circus performers or in-home board or card games.

Or reading, gatherings with friends, playing music, etc. This makes it sound like everyone in the country was just sitting around crying in their corn pone and waiting for the circus to arrive.