P.T. Barnum was famously know for the start of his traveling museum. “P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome”, the first name, traveling circus, menagerie and museum of freaks. After the war was over, the population needed to have outlets for expression. He took his show on the road to show the developing cities in the south and west what’s out in the world.
Even after the war was over the south was still anti-north beliefs. Barnum’s first act was an almost completely paralyzed slave woman, Joice Heth, who Barnum portrayed to be an ex-slave of George Washington and who was over the age of 160. He would constantly change the name of his show, a sign of a great businessman, to get the crowds to come and see the show over and over.
The above picture is of P.T. Barnum and Commodore Nutt, who was one of the attractions at Barnum’s shows. During his life Nutt traveled the world, gaining notoriety from nobility min nearly every kingdom of the world.