Welcome to this bonus episode of "Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune." In this episode, we delve into the lesser-known aspects of P.T. Barnum's life, particularly his writings and his faith. As we've discovered throughout this podcast, Barnum had a talent for writing and was a prolific letter writer. Before his circus days, he even published the Herald of Freedom newspaper in Danbury, Connecticut. However, his outspoken opinions led to his imprisonment for a sixty-day sentence. Tru...
Jun 07, 2023•34 min•Ep. 39
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune The Journey to Fame and Fortune Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://archive.org/details/historylocofoco02byrdgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://tinyurl.com/Sherwoodletter https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/iran...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 38
Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://archive.org/details/historylocofoco02byrdgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://tinyurl.com/Sherwoodletter https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/iranistan Let us know your thoughts by writing a review for the Podcast! Want to foll...
Apr 12, 2023•32 min•Ep. 37
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Igniting Interest: Barnum’s Views on the Loco-Foco Party Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://archive.org/details/historylocofoco02byrdgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://tinyurl.com/Sherwoodletter https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters...
Apr 05, 2023•33 min•Ep. 36
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune I Entrust You with a Small Secret - Episode 35 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum makes a secret trip back to America to check on his wife's health. With conflicting thoughts about returning home, Barnum's plan involves surprising his loved ones without anyone knowing. While Gen. Tom Thumb and his father, Sherwood Stratton, continue their performances in London, Barnum works tirelessly to ensure everything is correct. Tune...
Mar 30, 2023•36 min•Ep. 35
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Instructive Entertainments: Early 19th Century Panoramas - Episode 34 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum rented breathtaking panoramas for his museum from a Scottish painter named Marshall. But he was afraid Marshall would charge extra if he found out Barnum wanted to send them to other museums. So, Barnum schemed to get the panoramas cheaply, even considering copying them. Eventually, he agreed to pay 6000 francs, after s...
Mar 22, 2023•24 min•Ep. 34
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Imitators & Followers will get Poor Gleanings - Episode 33 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum was managing multiple projects and corresponding with agents and friends in London and Paris. He commissioned copies of two paintings from an American artist in France and hoped to commission a large-scale painting of a pivotal moment in American history. He also had plans for statues to install around the perimeter of the Ame...
Mar 15, 2023•28 min•Ep. 33
Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://tinyurl.com/Sherwoodletter https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/iranistan Let us know your thoughts by writing a review for the Podcast! Want to follow and support the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport Connecticut in more ways...
Mar 08, 2023•32 min•Ep. 32
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Poetical Puffing - Episode 31 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, Barnum was worried about his employees at the American Museum. He wanted Emile Guillaudeu to create a pose for a pony's skin that suggested motion with dignity and speed, but it is uncertain if he was successful. Professor Swift had difficulty setting up the museum's new projection equipment, but Barnum thought the Physioscope was excellent and urged Swift not to give up...
Mar 01, 2023•29 min•Ep. 31
In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, join us as we follow Barnum as he tries to navigate a problem at the theater and make sure everything is running smoothly. He's also eager to get a play about General Tom Thumb ready for an audience. Despite the play not being ready yet, Barnum is in London waiting for it and writes letters to his friends for help. Eventually, he gets the play and makes a big announcement in the newspaper about the General's upcoming performance. Don't miss the dra...
Feb 22, 2023•28 min•Ep. 30
P.T. Barnum purchased an "Anatomical Venus" figure in Paris for his American Museum in New York. This was a lifelike wax figure, with internal organs arranged in a cavity within the torso, for display and teaching purposes. The figure was a considerable investment and required skill in sculpting and knowledge of anatomy. Barnum directed it to be shipped to Dr. Tuttle for the purpose of avoiding duties and having a medical person associated with the exhibit. The unpacking of the figure required u...
Feb 15, 2023•28 min•Ep. 29
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Good Education is Better than Riches - Episode 28 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, we explore 2 letters from P.T. Barnum to daughter Caroline & wife Charity. He emphasizes the importance of education, particularly the French language and subjects like botany and biology. He also expresses admiration for family members who value education. This episode offers a unique look at Barnum's views on female education and family relati...
Feb 08, 2023•27 min•Ep. 28
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Do the Best You Can for Yourself - Episode 27 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, we bring you P.T. Barnum's own words as he writes to his manager Fordyce Hitchcock, laying out his plans for the American Museum. Discover his strategy to avoid misunderstandings and disagreements between the two men. Learn about the creation of his popular exhibition "Happy Family" in which he featured a collection of animals living together in harmony, ...
Feb 01, 2023•33 min•Ep. 27
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Going It Like a Rush - Episode 26 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, we dive into P.T. Barnum's 1846 letters to his uncle Alanson Taylor. He shares his business advice for their partnership in the Baltimore Museum, emphasizing the importance of good systems, press relations, and gradual improvements. He also expresses disdain for previous museum managers and their lack of physical improvements. Join us as we explore Barnum's business ...
Jan 25, 2023•27 min•Ep. 26
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A New Chapter for a New Year - Episode 25 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, A “new chapter” is about to begin in P. T. Barnum’s business life as we learn from a group of letters he composed—appropriately—on New Year’s Day in 1846. Barnum had just arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, after two days in Newcastle upon Tyne, where Gen. Tom Thumb performed. Even in their brief time there, Barnum had managed to write several letters to correspo...
Jan 18, 2023•27 min•Ep. 25
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune I Never Wish to be a Millionaire - Episode 24 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum addresses that he is aware that his wife Charity is pregnant. This information is revealed in letters written by Barnum in December of 1845, only ten weeks before the birth of their fourth daughter, Pauline. The episode also touches on the potential strain on their relationship due to Barnum's lack of awareness of Charity's pregnancy, with Bar...
Jan 11, 2023•31 min•Ep. 24
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Bills and Boardmen - Episode 23 In this episode of Becoming Barnum, P. T. Barnum works to promote Gen. Tom Thumb's performances in London using various methods of advertising, including handbills and vans. The episode also explores Barnum's relationship with his father, Sherwood Stratton. Don't miss out on the latest episodes of Becoming Barnum. Subscribe now to stay up to date on P. T. Barnum's journey to becoming the greatest showman. Learn more...
Jan 04, 2023•27 min•Ep. 23
Thank you for listening to 'Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune.' We will be taking a break for the holidays but will return in the new year with more stories about P.T. Barnum and Tom Thumb. Subscribe to stay updated and let us know what you think by leaving a review. Happy holidays from the 'Becoming Barnum' team.
Dec 21, 2022•1 min
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Last Letters from France - Episode 22 This episode of Becoming Barnum, Barnum sits down to write letters to various family members, plus one to his museum manager who was “like family” to Barnum, and another to the father of Gen. Tom Thumb, Sherwood Stratton, who was still in Paris. Taking the opportunity to write that day was smart as Barnum would be able to get the U.S.-bound letters on a steamship quickly, and because once he got to London, his...
Dec 14, 2022•30 min•Ep. 22
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune The Old American is Bound to Do Wonders Yet - Episode 21 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses letters at the end of November 1845; P. T. Barnum's wide-ranging ambitions seem tamped down a bit, at least insofar as his communication to his American Museum manager Fordyce Hitchcock tells us. While it can probably never be said that Barnum was "content" with things as they stood in business matters, he seemed to be relatively so concerned about t...
Dec 07, 2022•28 min•Ep. 21
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune We Have Got Quite Territory Enough - Episode 20 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses letters containing political remarks and comments about war—content somewhat different from what we’ve seen up to this point. Barnum was not referring to the Mexican-American War. Still, there is a connection between the Mexican-American War and the potential war with England that he was writing about—a war that didn’t happen, thankfully. Learn more about PT ...
Nov 30, 2022•31 min•Ep. 20
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Jolly Lot of Brother Showman - Episode 19 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses some of his lengthy epistles to the Editors of the New York Atlas, for whom Barnum was acting as a foreign correspondent. This week we think listeners will particularly enjoy for the information about circus and menagerie showmen, as well as other famous entertainers whose names would be familiar to many in Barnum’s time. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy ...
Nov 23, 2022•30 min•Ep. 19
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Tell Me Plainly What You Think - Episode 18 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses another uncomfortable truth about showing human beings as curiosities, as we learn directly from Barnum. This letter came up in the same November 1845 timeframe as the letter with his proposal to Catlin. Still, it warrants a separate discussion concerning the exhibition of people with genetic abnormalities. To be sure, this topic is complex and not something we w...
Nov 16, 2022•29 min•Ep. 18
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune My Mind is Occupied with Thoughts of Home - Episode 17 In this Episode of Becoming Barnum, it feels most fitting to highlight P. T. Barnum’s letters home to his wife, sister, and daughter. These letters were composed in the mid-November 1845 timeframe we have been exploring, when Barnum was in Paris. In almost every letter, whether to family or business associates, we see the refrain that he anticipated sailing home to America in the new year alon...
Nov 09, 2022•18 min•Ep. 17
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Trumpets, “Venus,” and a Young Man, All Heading to America - Episode 16 In this Episode of Becoming Barnum, we’ll follow up on the status of new attractions Barnum planned for his American Museum in New York, and learn about another of his “good turns” to help out a friend. The latter is mainly interesting for the window it provides on Barnum’s views of America as he explains them to the London-based “Mr. and Mrs. Collins.” The Collins, Barnum tol...
Nov 02, 2022•16 min•Ep. 16
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Barnum & Catlin - Episode 15 In this episode we’ll explore the connection between P. T. Barnum and another famous showman, a lawyer-turned-artist, George Catlin. Catlin’s early 19th century portraits of Native Americans are his most famous legacy, but like Barnum he possessed the determination to seek success in many arenas. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/Dinnerwareandt...
Oct 26, 2022•15 min•Ep. 15
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune “The Laborer is Worthy of his Hire” - Episode 14 In previous letters we’ve gotten to know some of the key staff members of P. T. Barnum’s team at the American Museum in New York, by piecing together details from the letters Barnum wrote in France. Learning about their responsibilities and gaining insights into their personalities—at least, insofar as we can infer this from Barnum’s correspondence—has been an intriguing process. Learn more about PT...
Oct 19, 2022•36 min•Ep. 14
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Tree Found, Tried & Shook - Episode 13 Since we are well into “apple season” here in New England (as well as in neighboring New York State, the country’s second biggest apple-producer), the title phrase of this week’s blog—plucked from a P. T. Barnum letter—seemed ripe for picking. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/Dinnerwareandtea https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https:...
Oct 12, 2022•33 min•Ep. 13
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Read & Reflect, Then Do as You Please - Episode 12 Over the past few months of reading Barnum’s letters in his 1845-1846 copybook, I have been surprised to find relatively few to Charity, his wife. Though it is clear that Barnum missed his wife and daughters very much while he was in France, correspondence thus far suggests a marital relationship that was often out of sync, compounded by Charity’s chronic health problems. Learn more about PT B...
Oct 05, 2022•26 min•Ep. 12
BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Souvenir Medals, and a Snug Saloon to Draw and Read In - Episode 11 As we’ve learned from the July – October 1845 correspondence between Barnum and his business associates, the Tom Thumb tour through France, outside of Paris, had not lived up to his expectations of financial reward. The copybook letters begin after the entourage had left Paris, and Barnum’s references to the performances there tell us that portion of the tour was extremely success...
Sep 28, 2022•27 min•Ep. 11
