45°
During August programs at The Barnum Museum
Learn About the Significance of Two Revealing P.T. Barnum LettersThe Barnum Museum in Bridgeport will present the following programs in August.
On Weds., August 7 at 12:15 p.m., The Barnum Museums Sneak Peek series continueswith programs focusing on the hidden gems from The Barnum Museum collection. This month the museum will unveil a rare P.T. Barnum letter dated 1834 from Bethel which has been recently purchased with donor support by the Barnum Museum Foundation Inc. The museum still needs a little more than $600 in donations to fully cover the purchase. Interested donors may contribute as little as $10. Go to http://www.crowdrise.com/1834barnumletter to make a secured donation.
P. T. Barnum's first business was a general store in Bethel Connecticut which he opened at the age of 18 in 1828. As a part of his work, he started a lottery office in this store and had great success. In 1830, he expanded his lottery office to Danbury then quickly to Norwalk, Stamford, Middletown and other small agencies as far away as New York. The post script of the letter mentions Barnum's plans for expansion saying, "the more the merrier." Unfortunately, the State of Connecticut started prohibiting lotteries in 1834. Because of this, Barnum closed his offices in 1835 and moved to New York to seek his fortune. The rest is history. On Sunday, August 18 at 2 p.m., Melissa Houston, Registrar for The Barnum Museum, will present The Showman and The Irish: P.T. Barnum and Home Rule.This programcenters on a single letter from 1886 within the collection in which P.T. Barnum states his support for Home Rule in Ireland. What is unique about this object is that it is not a paper letter, but an engraved metal plate which was meant to be used to reproduce the original letter, Houston examines the important roles that the Irish filled in P.T. Barnum's life and the ways in which his values and lifes causes led naturally into his support for Irish Home Rule. Barnum employed both male and female Irish people as domestic and outdoor servants at his Bridgeport mansions and New York City apartments. One such servant was a nurse to Tom Thumb and appears in photographs with P.T. Barnum and his wife, Charity. One year on Saint Patrick's Day, all the Irish took picnics into Barnum's American Museum, and filled it to capacity so no more tickets could be sold. Because Barnum needed to trick the visitors into leaving so he could continue to sell tickets, he created the famous "this way to the egress" humbug. Also on every trip across the Atlantic, Barnum met with politicians and advocates for Irish rights including Daniel O'Connell. Barnum was comfortable with the Irish as they filled the streets of the Bowery around his NYC museum as well as working in his homes. He was also an advocate for their human rights. While these terms may not have been used until recent history, Barnum supported abolition, temperance, and the equality of man as preached in his Universalist faith. This P.T. Barnum letter, meant to be made public and to serve a cause, was written in the twilight of his life and proved he was a man of great passion and energy. Learn about Barnum's life and his interactions with the Irish during this program. WHAT: Programs featuring important information from The Barnum Museum's collection WHEN: Weds. August 7, 12:15 p.m. Sneak Peek, reveals Barnum's 1834 letter referencing his establishment of a lottery. $2 suggested donation, doors open at noon, bring your lunch. Sun., August 18, 2 p.m. - The Showman and The Irish: P.T. Barnum and Home Rule $5 Admission. Both events are free for museum members. WHERE: The Barnum Museum, 820 Main Street, Bridgeport in the Peoples United Bank Gallery, entry located at the back of the historic building. COST: Various. See above or call for more information 203-331-1104 ext.100, M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The back exhibition hall of the museum, featuring artifacts that belonged to P.T. Barnum, Tom Thumb and others, is open for viewing and exploration on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more about The Barnum Museums current programs visit barnum-museum.org. You can also visit the museum on Facebook, view past programs at www.barnummuseumexhibitions.org or communicate on Twitter @BarnumMuseum. The original Barnum Institute building is owned by the City of Bridgeport and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.Click here to follow Daily Voice Bridgeport and receive free news updates.
