New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Circus

Annie Edson Taylor: Over Niagara Falls & Into The Poor House

by Leave a Comment

Niagara Falls, 1859 (photo William England)Advancing into the later stages of life, some turn their thoughts to immortality, whether through achievement, offspring, or religion. Many more focus on simply having enough dough to sustain themselves with dignity to the end. Annie Edson Taylor took aim at both goals.

In 1901, she was approaching her sixty-third birthday. She had long fended for herself, an adventurous entrepreneur in an age when most women were still locked into dependency. But life offered scant opportunity for an aging free spirit. [Read more…] about Annie Edson Taylor: Over Niagara Falls & Into The Poor House

New York’s Forgotten Aeronaut & Diver: William Warren Rulison

by 2 Comments

St. Lawrence Republican August 16, 1882, Ogdensburg Fair AdvertisementWhen seventy-eight-year-old William Rulison passed away in August of 1931, the only newspaper in Upstate New York that carried the news was Cooperstown’s Otsego Farmer. In this obituary, he was noted only as a “pioneer in balloon flying in this part of the country,” and a man who went by the title of Professor. This report of his passing left much untold, and in the material that follows I hope to give a complete account of his full and varied life. [Read more…] about New York’s Forgotten Aeronaut & Diver: William Warren Rulison

Sam Patch: Early American Daredevil

by Leave a Comment

High Falls of the Genesee RiverOn a chilly November day in 1829, a man dressed completely in white stood before a crowd on the precipice of the High Falls of the Genesee River in the middle of Rochester, New York. Many watching had traveled for days to view the spectacle. All eyes were riveted on one of the most famous men in America. [Read more…] about Sam Patch: Early American Daredevil

There Were Giants in the Earth in Those Days

by 3 Comments

Cardiff GiantMy first brush with the artifacts of history came when I was a youngster on a family vacation to Cooperstown, Otsego County, NY. I found the famous Baseball Hall of Fame, with its baggy uniforms, battered bats and flattened fielders’ mitts, decidedly ho-hum. I couldn’t wait to get to the nearby Farmers’ Museum and see something that I had heard of with wonder: the Cardiff Giant. [Read more…] about There Were Giants in the Earth in Those Days

Exotic Animals, The Van Amburgh Circus & The Lion King of Fishkill

by Leave a Comment

Van Amburgh’s MenagerieThe term “exotic pet” refers to wild animals kept in captivity in a domestic setting for the purpose of personal interest or entertainment. With globalization the trade has increased dramatically, although its real scope is difficult to ascertain because for most species there is no registration requirement. Its scale may be a contemporary concern, but the practice itself has a long history. The public has always been obsessed with non-native animals. [Read more…] about Exotic Animals, The Van Amburgh Circus & The Lion King of Fishkill

Becoming Barnum: The Anatomical Venus & Tom Thumb in Scotland

by Leave a Comment

Becoming Barnum podcastIn this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, newly discovered letters from P.T. Barnum reveal details about his activities during the Gen. Tom Thumb tour in Scotland offering insight into Barnum’s anxieties, including his quest for a new play for Gen. Tom Thumb. They also shed light on Barnum’s commissioning of the “Anatomical Venus,” A life-sized, dissectible wax woman, for his American Museum in New York. [Read more…] about Becoming Barnum: The Anatomical Venus & Tom Thumb in Scotland

Becoming Barnum: Taxidermy & The Physioscope

by Leave a Comment

Becoming Barnum podcastIn this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum was worried about his employees at the American Museum in New York City. He wanted museum taxidermist 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. [Read more…] about Becoming Barnum: Taxidermy & The Physioscope

Becoming Barnum: General Tom Thumb’s Performance

by Leave a Comment

Becoming Barnum podcastIn this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum 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. [Read more…] about Becoming Barnum: General Tom Thumb’s Performance

Becoming Barnum: Going It Like a Rush

by Leave a Comment

Becoming Barnum podcastIn 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. [Read more…] about Becoming Barnum: Going It Like a Rush

Becoming PT Barnum: New Year’s Day, 1846

by Leave a Comment

Becoming Barnum podcastIn this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, explore the letters P.T. Barnum wrote on New Year’s Day in 1846 as he navigated his business dealings on both sides of the Atlantic and grappled with the difficult decision of whether to return home during his wife’s confinement. From business schemes to the challenges of managing a family across the ocean, this episode offers a unique insight into the mind of the legendary showman. [Read more…] about Becoming PT Barnum: New Year’s Day, 1846