P.T. Barnum was born in Bethel, CT, in 1810 and lived in nearby Bridgeport for his final four decades, during which time he served as its mayor, established some of its public works, and died and was buried there in 1891. Today, the town is home to a museum and a statue dedicated to him.
The unique, yellow and red stone and terra cotta building was designed by Barnum himself as an institute for science and history. It wasn’t until years later that it became a museum dedicated to him. Among some of the wonders of this three-story museum are a preserved elephant, a facsimile of his original Feejee mermaid, a 1,000-square-foot miniature circus, and an authentic, unwrapped mummy named Pa-Ib.
Barnum’s statue is located just down the road a bit from the museum in Seaside Park, which overlooks Long Island Sound. Barnum is buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery, which is located at the intersection of Dewey Street and Mountain Grove Street, not far away from either the museum or the park.
Adapted with Permission from: The New England Grimpendium by J.W. Ocker
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