Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune

Barnum Museum

"Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune" is a podcast presented by The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The podcast is based on the museum's award-winning blog series and explores the life of P.T. Barnum through a collection of 750-page copybook letters written by Barnum during his travels in Europe in the 1840s. The letters offer insights into Barnum as a husband, father, and businessman, as well as his mentorship of child actor-entertainer General Tom Thumb. The podcast explores the hardscrabble world of show business in the 19th century and offers a glimpse into the life and mind of the man behind the legend. Support for this project is provided by the City of Bridgeport, People’s United, and the Connecticut Humanities and National Endowment for the Humanities. Join us on this journey through history and discover the real person behind the legendary "P.T. Barnum." Listen to our episodes and follow along as we uncover the fascinating story of Barnum's rise to fame and fortune.

  1. EPISODE 1

    An Introduction to Becoming Barnum: Interview with Barnum Museum Curator

    Date: 7/20/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune An Introduction to Becoming Barnum: Interview with the Barnum Museum Curator - Episode 1 Today, we discuss an exciting museum exhibit, a Bound volume of copied letters in P.T. Barnum's hand, dating from July 1845 to August 1846. This volume contains a wealth of primary information dating to the most significant period in Barnum's early career. This book dates to Barnum's 1844-1846 tour of Europe, during which he introduced his star performer, Charles S. Stratton (1838 -1883), better known by his stage name "General Tom Thumb," to European heads of state, royalty, and the public. The letters date to Barnum's and Stratton's travels in France, following a highly successful year in England where Stratton was granted multiple audiences with Queen Victoria. Barnum's letters contain anecdotes of the trip, and information about how he organized the performances at each location, how much he paid people for their services, the venues he rented, and so on. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://youtu.be/2KBRqgr_uGQ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    42 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    A Bit of France in Bridgeport, Connecticut

    Date: 7/27/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Bit of France in Bridgeport, Connecticut - Episode 2 Barnum’s travels in France had influenced his vision for his beloved Bridgeport; this was clearly revealed by what he chose to tell the Atlas readers. Barnum adopted Bridgeport, Connecticut, as his hometown in 1847, and after that, until he died in 1891, he had a great deal to do with its development, even serving as Mayor for a term. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://youtu.be/2KBRqgr_uGQ Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  A Bit of France in Bridgeport, CThttps://barnum-museum.org/barnums-park-city-bit-france-bridgeport/ Piling up the tin!  Barnum and Tom Thumb seek their fortune in Francehttps://barnum-museum.org/piling-up-the-tin/ The General’s Clothes and Carriage Stir Up Excitementhttps://barnum-museum.org/thegeneralsclothes/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    30 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    “A Touch of Yankee” Solves a Problem

    Date: 8/10/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune “A Touch of Yankee” Solves a Problem - Episode 3 Mr. Barnum was infuriated by the demands of the Hospice Commissioners who expected a far larger percentage of the gross receipts than Barnum felt reasonable. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://youtu.be/2KBRqgr_uGQ Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  “A Touch of Yankee” Solves a Problemhttps://barnum-museum.org/atouchofyankee/ “An Awful Great Fire in NY”https://barnum-museum.org/an-awful-great-fire-in-ny-in-1845/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    26 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    The Beginnings of Iranistan

    Date: 8/24/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune  The Beginnings of Iranistan  - Episode 4 Barnum’s homesickness coincided with and perhaps fueled his desire to begin building a country home for his family. Barnum writes about a future grand home in Bridgeport, Iranistan, just in the early planning stage. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/Barnumbooklet https://tinyurl.com/tavelersBarnum https://tinyurl.com/CollectionMenu https://tinyurl.com/trustbarnum https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/iranistan Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  The Beginnings of Iranistanhttps://barnum-museum.org/the-beginnings-of-iranistan/ Barnum on “Humbugging & Puffing”https://barnum-museum.org/humbugging-and-puffing/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    18 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    A Mountain of Worries

    Date: 8/03/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Mountain of Worries - Episode 5 In this episode, we delve into a new “batch” of the letters P. T. Barnum wrote while in France and sent back to his family and business associates in America.  These letters have a different tone from the letters written in preceding weeks. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/BarnumDaughters https://tinyurl.com/TomDrawings https://youtu.be/2KBRqgr_uGQ Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  A Mountain of Worrieshttps://barnum-museum.org/amountainofworries/ Plenty of Fun in “Bridgepork”https://barnum-museum.org/bridgepork/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/

    19 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    A New Play for the General

    Date: 8/17/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune  A New Play for the General - Episode 6 P. T. Barnum’s famous protegee Charles Stratton, known to the world as Gen. Tom Thumb, was quite a young child when he was first introduced to European audiences in the mid-1840s.  Though he was 5, 6, and 7 over the three-year tour, Barnum billed him as five or six years older to make his diminutive stature seem all the more impressive.  Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://youtu.be/2KBRqgr_uGQ Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  A New Play for the Generalhttps://barnum-museum.org/a-new-play-for-the-general/ Arranging All the Affairshttps://barnum-museum.org/arranging-all-the-affairs/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    19 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    They Stared with All the Eyes They Had

    Date: 8/24/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune  They Stared with All the Eyes They Had  - Episode 7 Have you ever tried to envision a visit to Barnum’s American Museum?  I find it is a feat of the imagination to reconcile exterior pictures of the museum with the sheer quantity and variety of artifacts, animals, and activities offered within—supposedly over 600,000 items Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/Barnumbooklet https://tinyurl.com/tavelersBarnum https://tinyurl.com/CollectionMenu https://tinyurl.com/trustbarnum https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/PicofNYC https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://youtu.be/2KBRqgr_uGQ Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  They Stared with All the Eyes They Hadhttps://barnum-museum.org/they-stared-with-all-the-eyes-they-had/ “A Capital Dodge for Us”https://barnum-museum.org/a-capital-dodge-for-us/ Well-dressed Dinnershttps://barnum-museum.org/well-dressed-dinners/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    36 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Story Updates, and a Daughter’s Education

    BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune  Story Updates, and a Daughter’s Education  - Episode 8 Back in Episode, A Mountain of Worries, we had wondered how Charity dealt with a rather harsh letter from her husband, written on September 12th, 1845.  Would she reply or remain silent for a while? Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here:  https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/Barnumbooklet https://tinyurl.com/tavelersBarnum https://tinyurl.com/CollectionMenu https://tinyurl.com/trustbarnum https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/iranistan Read the Blog Posts this episode is based on:  Story Updates, and a Daughter’s Educationhttps://barnum-museum.org/carolines-education/ A Most Determined Devotion to Businesshttps://barnum-museum.org/a-most-determined-devotion-to-business/  Novelties and Schemes https://barnum-museum.org/novelties-and-schemes/ 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?   Follow us on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BarnumMuseum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barnummuseum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnummuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/barnummuseum Website: https://barnum-museum.org/​​ Click to Donate!   It’s easy and supports the Barnum Museum’s programs, restoration, and ongoing mission to make people happy! https://barnum-museum.org/donate/ Join as a Member or Sponsor and be part of the Barnum Museum family in Bridgeport CT! https://barnum-museum.org/membership/ Episode sponsored by: People’s United Bank: https://www.peoples.com/ CTHumanities: https://cthumanities.org/ City of Bridgeport: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/ Please share this podcast episode with your friends!

    31 min
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About

"Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune" is a podcast presented by The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The podcast is based on the museum's award-winning blog series and explores the life of P.T. Barnum through a collection of 750-page copybook letters written by Barnum during his travels in Europe in the 1840s. The letters offer insights into Barnum as a husband, father, and businessman, as well as his mentorship of child actor-entertainer General Tom Thumb. The podcast explores the hardscrabble world of show business in the 19th century and offers a glimpse into the life and mind of the man behind the legend. Support for this project is provided by the City of Bridgeport, People’s United, and the Connecticut Humanities and National Endowment for the Humanities. Join us on this journey through history and discover the real person behind the legendary "P.T. Barnum." Listen to our episodes and follow along as we uncover the fascinating story of Barnum's rise to fame and fortune.

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