In the 1800s, people who were born with deformities became socially acceptable as family entertainment.

P.T. Barnum made millions of dollars by capitalizing on this. His “freakshows” brought together an amalgam of people considered to be curiosities — bearded ladies, tattooed men, the severely disfigured, and the abnormally short and tall.

Many of his performers were paid handsome sums, some earning as much as today’s sports stars. 

Members of The Ringling Brothers’ “Congress of Freaks” lineup for a group portrait in 1924.

This practice slowly diminished but still continued into the 1970s. Many baby boomers today can remember seeing sideshows of conjoined twins or immensely huge people at circuses, stock shows and rodeos.

This article explores the “oddities” of yesteryear with such curiosities today.

Yesteryear

Minnie Woolsey, known as “Koo-Koo the Bird Girl,” suffered from Seckel syndrome, giving her both physical and mental disabilities.

She lacked both teeth and hair and worked at a Coney Island sideshow until her death.

Charles Sherwood Stratton was paid $3 a week as a member of Barnum’s touring act under the name Tom Thumb.

He would eventually marry in 1863 (pictured), before dying at the age of 45 two decades later.

Born with the rare Hypertrichosis or “werewolf syndrome,” Alice Doherty was put in a freak show by her mother at just two years old under the stage name “Wooly Girl.” Photo: 1902

Due to acromegalic gigantism, Jack Earle grew to 7’7″ tall. Photo: 1930

He traveled with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for 14 years before becoming a salesman.

Human Oddity Today

By the 1970s and ’80s, sideshows dwindled and showcased less emphasis on deformities and more on unusual skills and talent such as sword swallowing, walking on nails, or fire breathing antics.

There has always been a lot of hoodwinking going on at circuses, carnivals and the sideshows. It wasn’t that one enticing show would promote THE GIANT BAT.

“You must see the giant bat. 600 lbs. 12-1/2 feet long. Big enough to kill a horse. Awesome.”

Inside, the naive who paid just $2 would find a huge wooden baseball bat. No lies were told. The sideshow promoter couldn’t help it if his customers lept to the conclusion they were going to see a gigantic flying rodent.

However, although not featured as much, there are still uncommon deformities that exist:

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IN GOD WE TRUST

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