Pals of the Merman
Merman!
You are not alone! There are at least seven "Fiji Mermaids" still in existence, relics
of P.T. Barnum's special brand of 19th century showmanship. You can probably
find some of these imprisoned in a Ripley's franchise somewhere. AAF's
Merman is one of the largest of the breed.
The Merman of Tombstone
Birdcage Theater, Tombstone, Arizona
Tiny, compared to the one in Arkansas. Been there a long time; may have been
originally donated by a Chinese businessman in 1934. In a case with
a blow fish.
Barnum Museum Merman
Bridgeport, Connecticut
An artist's reproduction of the original "Feejee Mermaid," created for a TV
documentary. Part of a collection that includes a fragment of Noah's Ark, Tom
Thumb's furniture and wedding certificate. Very historical.
Beloved Merman of Delaware
Zwaanendael Museum, Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is a very special town. "We give people the best exhibits on the
maritime history of Sussex County, but they want to see the merman. We could
never take it off display." This merman is about a foot long. It was given
to a prominent local family by by an old sea captain. They didn't know what
to do with it, so they loaned it to the museum in 1941. When the last family
member died in 1985, the museum raised $250 in donations and bought the merman.
Voodoo
Merman
Madam Laveau's Voodoo Shop, New Orleans, Louisiana
Right on Bourbon Street. A small "mermaid" resides in a glass case near the
cash register. Some cool displays in the back room of voodoo as practised in
Haiti, Africa, etc., along with brightly painted devil statues and the usual
gris gris bags, roots and potions.
The MerFamily
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, Seattle, Washington
Distant relatives, a full family that includes a Mermaid, Mer-baby and a dog
named "Petri-Fido."
The Merman
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Canada's Merman has been a popular exhibit at the Indian Trading Post for over
100 years.
Special Friends
Jake,
the Alligator Man
Still good friends, but the romance is over. The Alligator Man resides in Marsh's Free Museum, Long Beach, Washington, across the street from the World's Largest Fry Pan, and near the World's Longest Drivable Beach.
Olaf the Giant
Hulking Norseman in a long glass case -- another sideshow legacy. Was on display at the Fantastic Museum, which moved to Sisters, OR, from Redmond .. then mysteriously disappeared!
9-foot Tall Arabian Giantess
Last seen in a trailer at the gigantic weekly farmers market and auction in Englishtown, New Jersey (50 cents a peek) in the 1970s. A tinny loudspeaker grimly enticed: "To see the look of horror on her face, one knows that she must have died a HORRIBLE DEATH." Where, oh where, is she now? Update- April 2005: Tipster Kelly found an account of an Arabian Giantess, part of West Coast Shows' traveling sideshow properties. The giantess was stolen as a prank by some electricians at the Arizona State Fair, found on a golf course, misidentified as a victim of foul play, and hauled away for the coroner to examine. This happened "years ago."
