Early Forms of Entertainment In America

January 18, 2014 By Editor

International Independent Showmen’s Museum Keeps Early Form of Entertainment Alive

History of Traveling Shows In America

Long ago, when the country was still young and everything was infinitely possible, mile-long railroad trains loaded with colorful wagons full of exotic mysteries traveled through the darkness of night bringing the only form of entertainment that many in early America would ever experience.

Remembering this important part of Americana and the interesting people who spent their lives being a part of it is what the International Independent Showmen’s Museum is all about. It is a museum that showcases those early forms of entertainment in America. As the talker standing on the bally stage would have told you “The Big Show is On The Inside.”

Come visit me and see firsthand, the real history of traveling shows in America and the mark that all the hard working people left here in the Tampa Bay, Gibsonton and Riverview, Florida area at The International Independent Showmen’s Museum.

International Independent Showmens Museum

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International Independent Showmens Museum

The Cardiff Giant is one of the most famous hoaxes in American history. It was a 10-foot-tall purported "petrified man", uncovered on October 16 1869 by workers digging a well behind the barn of William C. "Stub" Newell, in Cardiff, New York. The giant was the creation of a New York tobacconist named George Hull. He was an ardent believer in science, especially in the theory of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. Hull, an atheist, got into an argument with a fundamentalist minister named Reverend Turk and his supporters at a Methodist revival meeting about a Bible passage (Genesis 6:4) which states that there were giants who once lived on Earth. Hull lost the argument to the fervent congregation and was quite miffed. Hull decided he wanted to prove how easily he could fool people with a fake giant so in 1868, Hull, accompanied by a man named H.B. Martin, hired men to quarry out a 10-foot-4.5-inch-long block of gypsum in Fort Dodge, Iowa, telling them it was intended for a monument to Abraham Lincoln in New York. He shipped the block to Edward Burghardt in Chicago, a German stonecutter he had sworn to secrecy. Burghardt hired two sculptors, Henry Salle and Fred Mohrmann, to create the giant. They had taken cautious steps to cover up their work during the carving, putting up quilts to lessen the sound of carving. For the giant to look ancient, various stains and acids were used to make the giant appear to be old and weathered, then buried the "Gaff" behind the barn and waited until he thought the time was right to unveil it. It initially caused a lot of speculation both pro and con and opinions abounded as to its validity by "experts" and it even resulted in a court ruling.On December 10, 1869, Hull confessed everything to the press.The Cardiff Giant was displayed at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition but did not attract much attention.Iowa publisher Gardner Cowles, Jr. bought it later to adorn his basement rumpus room as a coffee table and conversation piece. In 1947 he sold it to the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, New York, where it's still displayed. These Cardiff Giant "gaffs" were extensively used on carnival midways as stand-alone side shows from the early 1900s, right through the latter part of the 20th century. Incidentally, we have a pretty good "Cardiff Giant" of our own going under another name that's displayed here at the sideshow exhibit at the Showmen's Museum. ... See MoreSee Less

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Early Forms of Entertainment In America

International Independent Showmen’s Museum Keeps Early Form of Entertainment Alive

History of Traveling Shows In America

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