Virtual Exhibitions

Hi everyone!

My name is Jenny and I'm the education intern here at the Barnum Museum.  I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to share with you artifacts and documents that I find interesting.  Right now, I am particularly enthralled by a program and photographs from the Bridgeport High School graduation in 1889.  Now, 125 years later, we can put some evidence side by side and get a good look at how drastically everything has changed (except for maybe the hair).

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Hello,

Hey,

I am Ashley Beal the Social Media intern for the summer of 2014. With it only being my first week (Wednesday and Thursday), I have already been hit with a lot of information. This isn’t in a bad way, but pretty much in a good way. I never knew Bridgeport, Ct had so much history. With it only being the first week, I already know that much more than before. I just want to go out and advertise like Barnum to get the city to understand how important the museum is an...

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of the 1924 “Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows” Winter Quarters Circus Fire in Bridgeport, CT. This photograph is part of an 8-piece collection that depicts the aftermath of the circus fire. Barnum had problems with fires throughout his entire life, and his fi...

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of the “Lake Torpedo Boat Company”. The company was one of the first producers of submarines for the U.S. Navy and was founded in Bridgeport, CT in 1901 by owner Simon Lake. There was a power struggle between the “Lake Torpedo Boat Company” and it’s rival, the R...

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of Charles Sherwood Stratton, otherwise known as “General Tom Thumb”. Stratton was born in Bridgeport, CT on January 4th, 1838 and was “normal sized” until he was around 6 months old, when he stopped growing. When Stratton was 18yrs old, he was measured to be 2ft 8.5in t...

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of Arthur James Caley, otherwise known as “Col. Routh Goshen”. Although there is controversy over his birth date, it is presumed to be on May 5th, 1837. Goshen travelled with Barnum and worked in Barnum’s American Museum in New York City. He was billed by P.T. Barnum to be the...

Nellie Keeler: 11 years of age, 28 inches high, weight 12 lbs.

To be seen only in the Great P.T. Barnum Show.

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of Nellie Keeler, a.k.a. “Little Queen Mab”. Nellie was born ...

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of the “Wheeler & Wilson” storefront in downtown Bridgeport, Connecticut. The sewing machine company moved from Watertown, CT to Bridgeport in 1856 and was located at the old “Jerome Clock Company” factory. Wheeler & Wilson sewing machines were a household name a...

This week’s “Photo of the Week” is of Buffalo Bill Cody performing his “Wild West Show” in Bridgeport, CT. The title of the post card reads “W.F. Cody, ‘Buffalo Bill’ Shooting Glass Balls at Wild West Show, Bridgeport, Conn.” The photo depicts two men riding white horses. One man is dressed in...