This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Fragments from a side show era of monstrous curiosities
A long disjointed reminiscence describes Walter Stewart the human monstrosity with no limbs yet with a short torso, and several other exhibit figures like John Battersby the skeleton man and his wife Hannah the fat woman, plus stories of O'Brien’s daughter Kitty and a bearded lady. It mentions bearded ladies, giants, and couples from touring circuses, with scattered anecdotes about marriages, travels, and tragedies across shows in Maine, Australia, Chicago, and Europe. The tone recalls a late period museum circus sketch of marvels and misfits.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sheewernan
Ton
Stewart Posseves
O'Brien
Itty
Kitty
Walter Stewart
Altairs Italien
Kitty c
Oln Battersby
John
Battersby
Hannah
Maine
William Thompon
Gincer
Ann E Leak
Hon’ Arma
Amos Myers
Oteowo
New York
Cacinnett
Coca
Charles Col
Jia Fison
Jesytheen
Europe
Chang
Tien
Pital
Bincklen
Chicago
Lawawere
Tealing
Michigan
Anna Jones
Exan
Barnum
Dick Elliott
Col Goshen