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The Haunted Librarian

~ Researching, investigating, and writing about the paranormal.

The Haunted Librarian

Category Archives: Museums

The Svingerud Stone: Oldest Runestone Discovered

25 Wednesday Jan 2023

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Archaeology, Museums, Runestone

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Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo

In the Fall of 2021, archaeologists with the University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History were excavating an ancient cremation pit and uncovered a 12.2 x 12.6-inch flat stone with markings. Experts claim that the runestone may be the oldest runestone discovered. It has been named the “Svingerud Stone” or “Svingerudsteinen.”

The runic alphabet is one of the oldest known forms of writing, stemming from the Phoenician alphabet. It was used extensively during the Viking Age (793-1066 CE*); however, many runestones predate this period. For instance, the Einang Runestone dates to 300 CE.

Runestones were upright stones with runic inscriptions found primarily in Scandinavia, with the most in Sweden. The Svingerud Stone differs from most runestones in that it was found lying in a burial ground. Bones and wood were also found. Radiocarbon dating of the bones and wood dates the stone to 1 to 250 CE. An inscription reads “idiberug,” which may be the name of a person or family. Its meaning is unknown.

The discovery has been called “sensational” and “unique.” Usage of runestones ended when the runic alphabet was ultimately replaced with the Latin alphabet. The stone is on display at the Museum of Cultural History, January 21-February 26, 2023.

* I am using the CE (Common Era) notation that is more accurate than the BC/AD format.

Deland’s Haunted Antique Shop and Paranormal Museum

07 Saturday Jan 2023

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Haunted Florida, Museums, Road Trip, Roadtrip, Tripping on Legends

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Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series

One of my favorite cozy mystery series is the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series by Kirsten Weiss. The murders surround a small paranormal museum set in the fictional town of San Benedetto. Who wouldn’t love to own a paranormal museum? A haunted one is even better! In Deland, Florida, you can visit one.

In 2018, Corinne Kenner purchased a quaint vintage shop and turned it into the Haunted Antique Shop and Paranormal Museum, located at 612 W. New York Avenue, Deland. Objects vary at every price point, and the shop offers psychic development classes, tarot readings, and special events. Kenner’s experiences at the store spawned a book titled Gently Haunted: True Stories from the Haunted Antique Shop.

While the store contains vintage items for sale, the intrigue is in the museum. Interact with the store’s guardian, the haunted Charlie doll. Become mesmerized by items in the Cabinet of Curiosities (continue reading for a short explanation). Contemplate whether you would like to own a haunted object. That’s the point. In a world of overpriced theme parks and crowded museums/zoos/aquariums, enjoy the kitsch of roadside attractions. They’re the true essence of Americana.

You can listen to selected stories online by purchasing a pass for $10 at https://youraudiotour.com/tours/2568/. Or listen to my favorite podcast Tripping on Legends Episode 119, https://trippingonlegends.com/2023/01/03/tripping-on-legends-episode-119-the-tarot-of-physics-and-haunted-objects/?fbclid=IwAR35iUzNqArmDtLJ8v8XrY4Uym9O7iIu6Fa-_i-pxbvSIEYS16k_SDtDg_w, with my friend Christopher Balzano. I strongly suggest watching the video feed from Christopher’s episode—no spoilers here! It amplifies just how kitsch the museum is.

Follow the store on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thehauntedantiqueshop/, and Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/HauntedAntiqueShop/. For more information, visit their website, https://hauntedantiqueshop.com/. Let me know if you visit.

Side note: Cabinets of Curiosities date back to the Italian Renaissance where wealthy people collected items of the macabre and stored them in containers of varying size. Drawers and shelves contained an assortment of items, providing the owners an opportunity to regale in the stories of acquisition. Today, items in cabinets are often purchased rather than found. (See my forthcoming blog “A Brief History of Cabinets of Curiosities” for more information.)

Deland’s Haunted Antique Shop and Paranormal Museum

One of my favorite cozy mystery series is the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery series by Kirsten Weiss. The murders surround a small paranormal museum set in the fictional town of San Benedetto. Who wouldn’t love to own a paranormal museum? A haunted one is even better! In Deland, Florida, you can visit one.

In 2018, Corinne Kenner purchased a quaint vintage shop and turned it into the Haunted Antique Shop and Paranormal Museum, located at 612 W. New York Avenue, Deland. Objects vary at every price point, and the shop offers psychic development classes, tarot readings, and special events. Kenner’s experiences at the store spawned a book titled Gently Haunted: True Stories from the Haunted Antique Shop.

While the store contains vintage items for sale, the intrigue is in the museum. Interact with the store’s guardian, the haunted Charlie doll. Become mesmerized by items in the Cabinet of Curiosities (continue reading for a short explanation). Contemplate whether you would like to own a haunted object. That’s the point. In a world of overpriced theme parks and crowded museums/zoos/aquariums, enjoy the kitsch of roadside attractions. They’re the true essence of Americana.

You can listen to selected stories online by purchasing a pass for $10 at https://youraudiotour.com/tours/2568/. Or listen to my favorite podcast Tripping on Legends Episode 119, https://trippingonlegends.com/2023/01/03/tripping-on-legends-episode-119-the-tarot-of-physics-and-haunted-objects/?fbclid=IwAR35iUzNqArmDtLJ8v8XrY4Uym9O7iIu6Fa-_i-pxbvSIEYS16k_SDtDg_w, with my friend Christopher Balzano. I strongly suggest watching the video feed from Christopher’s episode—no spoilers here! It amplifies just how kitsch the museum is.

Follow the store on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thehauntedantiqueshop/, and Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/HauntedAntiqueShop/. For more information, visit their website, https://hauntedantiqueshop.com/. Let me know if you visit.

Side note: Cabinets of Curiosities date back to the Italian Renaissance where wealthy people collected items of the macabre and stored them in containers of varying size. Drawers and shelves contained an assortment of items, providing the owners an opportunity to regale in the stories of acquisition. Today, items in cabinets are often purchased rather than found. (See my forthcoming blog “A Brief History of Cabinets of Curiosities” for more information.)

High John the Conqueror Root

06 Sunday Mar 2022

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Museums, New Orleans, Voodoo

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Folktales, Muddy Waters, Zora Neale Hurston

High John the Conqueror Root

While visiting New Orleans a few weeks ago, I finally stopped into the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. I’ll be writing more blogs about the museum in general and the special collections specifically in the coming weeks. However, one of the collections includes voodoo medicine. One display included High John the Conqueror Root, and I wanted to know more!

Display at the museum

High John is a folk term for root medicine associated with conjuring powers. It goes by several names including: High John, High John de Conker, John the Conqueror Root, and Jalap Root. Usage is complicated. Depending on the practitioner, the root may be carried for luck, financial gain, protection, and depression. It is related to and resembles morning glories and sweet potato vine. It is poisonous. Do not consume!

Ipomoea purga or I. jalapa

Many believe it is the most powerful of the gris gris ingredients. A gris gris (pronounced gri gri) is a voodoo amulet or talisman that is carried. It is usually worn around the neck.

McKinley Morganfield, known professionally as Muddy Waters
Zora Neale Hurston

High John has been popularized in pop culture. Muddy Waters (1913-1983) sang about it in two songs: “Mannish Boy” and “Hoochie Coochie Man.” Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) wrote about a mythical African-America trickster in “High John de Conquer.” High John has been personified and used in religious practices across the world.

To learn more about voodoo in New Orleans, join me on April 27 for a Facebook Live session through Ghost Education 101.

Tulane University’s Two Mummies Have Attended 3 Super Bowl Games

14 Monday Feb 2022

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Mummies, Museums, Not Haunted, Not Haunted--But Cool, Universities

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Egyptian mummies, George Gliddon, Panorama of the Nile, Tulane University


Tulane University hosted 3 Super Bowl games: IV in 1970, VI in 1972, and IX in 1975. The crowds of 80,000+ people never knew that underneath the bleachers tucked in a storage room were two Egyptian mummies. Theirs was a lurid story.

George Robbins Gliddon (1809-1857) was the former US vice consul in Egypt. He fashioned himself an Egyptologist and assembled the “Gliddon’s Transparent Panorama of the Nile” exhibit that traveled the United States in the mid-1800s. The panorama was a beautifully illustrated painting that measured 900 feet long and 9 feet high. Gliddon was a master salesman and signed up subscribers who funded his traveling show. These subscribers attended mummy unwrapping parties, where Gliddon unwrapped a mummy and displayed any funerary items contained within the coffins.

While in Boston, Gliddon, who prided himself on his ability to translate hieroglyphics, misidentified one of the mummies. He claimed that the mummy contained in the case was a female of noble lineage. He claimed she was a high priestess or of that level. Unfortunately, upon the reveal, the mummy was most certainly a male. His erect penis had been carefully wrapped. Gliddon talked himself out of this uncomfortable situation and planned his exit from the field. He shortened his traveling itinerary, making New Orleans his final stop.

Flyer for Gliddon’s traveling show.

Gliddon arrived in March of 1852. He opened his show at Tulane University. He unwrapped the second mummy, that of a female, at what is now Gallier Hall. When the show closed, Gliddon donated the mummies to Tulane. He attempted to sell the vast panorama, even suggesting it be divided into 50-foot sections; however, it probably didn’t sell. There aren’t any records as to its fate. Thanks to Tulane’s football stadium’s demolition, we now know what happened to the two mummies.

Tulane’s former stadium was a popular venue. The Third Tulane Stadium, as it was known, was built in 1926 with a capacity of 35,000. Four expansions followed with capacity reaching 80,985 in 1955. On July 17, 1976, ZZ Top performed to a raucous audience which led to the university banning all concerts inside the stadium. (The ban remains in effect) The stadium became known as the Sugar Bowl, based on its form as resembling a sugar bowl lid, and the Queen of Southern Stadiums. Professional and college football teams played there up until 1979.

Sections of the stadium were declared unsafe, and demolition commenced on November 18, 1979. Demolition finished in June of 1980. It was during the early stages of demolition that the mummies were discovered ensconced in glass cases sitting above their coffins.

Images of the former Tulane University stadium.


The mummies were displayed initially in a museum at the university’s medical school. Next stop was the museum of natural history in Gibson Hall. That museum closed in 1955, and the mummies were placed into storage, underneath the stadium. Somehow, they ended up at a Charity Hospital museum and then to a physician’s home. (Not sure I would take them home) They were then placed back in storage until their discovery. They were kept in the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library basement until 1979, when they relocated to their final resting place: Dinwiddie Hall in the Department of Anthropology.

Tulane Museum of Anatomy and an image of the male priest.


University professors, along with graduate students, have learned a lot about the mummies. The male’s case had his name inscribed. It is often written as Djed-Thoth-iu-ef-ankh or “Thoth says that he will live.” He was a priest and “overseer of artisans” at the Temple of Amun in Thebes. He suffered from dental decay and spinal issues. He was around 50 when he died and was embalmed.

Initially, Gibbons, among others, believed that the female was Djed-Mut-iu-es-ankh; however, her skull is housed at Penn Museum at the University of Pennsylvania. At some unknown time, this 13.5-15.5-year-old female was placed inside the other’s case. Even though she is better preserved, little is known about her.

More has been discovered about George Gliddon. Some Edgar Allan Poe scholars have theorized that Gliddon was the inspiration for Doctor Ponnonner in Poe’s satirical short story “Some Words with a Mummy,” first published in April 1945. The main character procured a mummy and plans to unwrap it at his home in front a of few friends in the name of “scientific discovery.” The inept doctor instead revives the mummy they christen Allamistakeo. The story centers around Egyptian mummy mania that captured the imaginations of people in Europe and the United States.

Tragedy did not escape Gliddon in real life. He abandoned his research in Egyptology and shifted, instead, to proving polygenism, the belief that each race came from a distinct, individual source. (It is racist conjecture and shunned by science and scientific communities) Gliddon was in Panama in 1857 where he contracted Yellow Fever. He died before reaching the age of 50.

Ultimately, the Tulane mummies are more interesting. While visiting the university, I will attempt to visit them. I’ll post images if I am successful.

Scissorland: Visit Edward Scissorhands’ Real House

03 Sunday Oct 2021

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Museums, Not Haunted, Not Haunted--But Cool, Real Estate

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Joey and Sharon Licalzi, Tim Burton

Fresh paint and topiaries adorn the front yard.

In 1990, director Tim Burton transformed the Carpenters Run neighborhood into a bizarre movie set for the film Edward Scissorhands, starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. Although the houses have aged and regressed back to the typical Florida décor, the neighborhood has attracted fans since. On September 11, 2020, Joey and Sharon Licalzi won a bidding war and paid $230,378 for the 3 bedroom/2 bath 1432 square foot home. They’ve transformed it back into the movie set and have opened Scissorland, a free museum.

Edward Scissorhands (1990) is a cult classic. Filmed on a $20 million dollar budget, it grossed $56 million in the U.S. and $86 million worldwide. Deemed one of Burton’s best (aren’t they all?), the film was a fantasy-romance hybrid that told the story of Edward, the man with scissor hands. The movie is currently streaming on Hulu.com.

Movie posters for the 1990 film.

Fast forward 30 years and you can see how the neighborhood changed. Gone are the pastel color exterior house paint and topiary scrubs. However, Joey and Sharon have started the transformation.

1-2. Street as it appeared in the movie.

The exterior is now a pastel blue, and the front yard is adorned with topiaries. The backyard is a whimsical playground. The original owner saved the mushroom wallpaper, which the couple reinstalled. They offer the home with the growing movie memorabilia as a free museum. Outdoor movie screenings will begin when the weather cools.

1. House as it was painted when sold in 2020. 2. The transformation. 3. Mushroom wallpaper. 4. The backyard.

The memorabilia are an eclectic collection. There’s a license plate that the residents had to place on their cars for filming. A pack of cigarettes supposedly belonging to Depp is on display, along with an endearing mannequin dressed as Depp’s character. The collection continues to grow.

Although reservations are not required, I encourage those wishing to visit make them. Remember, not only is the house a museum: the couple actually resides there. The address is 1774 Tinsmith Circle, Lutz, Pasco County, Florida.

Resurrection Men: Body Snatching in the Victorian Era

27 Tuesday Oct 2020

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in History, Museums

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Burke, Fisk iron coffin, Hare, mortsafe

During the Victorian Era, body snatchers dug up recently buried corpses to sell the organs. These people became known as Resurrection Men. They differed from grave robbers, who merely removed valuables from tombs. Resurrection Men stole bodies, and the practice ran rampant as medical studies and schools expanded during this time period. Often families guarded deceased relatives until and after burial. In order to safeguard the human remains, new burial practices were set in place.

Internment methods included burying humans in iron coffins. Almond Dunbar Fisk invented the Fisk Metallic Burial Case in 1844 in Queens, NY. A patent for these air-tight coffins was awarded in 1848. His father-in-law, Harvey Raymond, joined him in business to form Fisk & Raymond. These coffins proved effective against body snatching; however, they came with a high cost.

Fisk’s Iron Coffin and Mortsafes.

A cost-effective solution would be the installation of mortsafes across the grave. Invented in 1816, the mortsafe was a contraption of iron plates secured with rods and then padlocked. The grate system would safeguard the gravesite and coffin until the body had begun to decompose, which would make it useless to body snatchers. Churches and cemeteries rented the devises out.

Watchtowers were also built. Residents formed watch groups, known as “watching societies,” that patrolled the cemeteries; however, graves were still desecrated. Many found that a combination of constructed watchtowers and mortsafes protected the recently deceased.

The most famous Resurrection Men were William Burke (1792-1829) and William Hare (dates unknown), who found body snatching quite lucrative. Burke and Hare were accused of murdering 16 people in 1828 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hare and his wife ran a boarding house. When a customer named Donald died on November 29, 1827, Hare and Burke decided to sell the body to Dr. Robert Knox, who taught anatomy classes. The money was great, and the two conspired to begin killing for profit. It is widely speculated that both spouses knew of and possibly assisted in the murders.

Margaret Docherty was the pair’s last victim. She was lured to her death on October 31, 1828. Ann and James Gray, guests lodging at Hare’s house discovered her body. Hare was offered a plea deal, and he turned on Burke. Interesting enough, the police did not have enough evidence to prosecute either for Docherty’s murder. Instead, they relied on Hare’s confession to press charges against Burke and his second wife Helen “Nelly” McDougal. Hare could not be compelled to testify against his wife, Margaret Laird, who was subsequently released.

Burke was tried for three murders and found guilty of one. He was sentenced to hang. His wife was acquitted, though not formally found not guilty. Burke was hanged on January 28, 1829. Some 25,000 people watched. His corpse was dissected on February 1st. His skeleton remains on display to this day at the Anatomical Museum, Edinburgh. The History of Surgery Museum, housed in the Surgeons’ Hall Museums complex, houses Burke’s written confession, his death mask, and a pocketbook supposedly made from his skin. All can be viewed online, https://museum.rcsed.ac.uk/history-of-surgery-museum.

Burke’s death mask, a book supposedly made from his skin, and his skeleton.

There are no reports of what happened to Hare; his wife, Margaret; or Helen after they were escorted separately out of Edinburgh.

England passed the Anatomy Act of 1832, which essentially ended the practice of stealing corpses to sell to medical schools in England. However, the lure of stealing bodies and performing experiments still happens—though not nearly as many as back when the Resurrectionists were paid top-dollar and not asked any questions.

#CreepiestObject Challenge

23 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in #CuratorBattle, Museums

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#CreepiestObject, Deutsches Historisches Museum, Museum of Fear and Wonder, Norwich Castle, Yorkshire Museum

The Yorkshire Museum, Yorkshire, UK, started a weekly #CuratorBattle on Twitter. Every Friday, the museum staff select a theme and start the Twitter feed. On April 17, they created the #CreepiestObject Challenge. And the entries did not disappoint!

Kicking off the challenge was a bun of hair from a buried Roman woman. Museums and individuals began posting some of the most disturbing images housed in collections all over the world.

A few of my favorites include:

A Victorian vignette of miners, which are crabs, playing cards.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, submitted images of the mummified head of German serial killer Peter Kurten (5.26.1883-7.2.1931). He was found guilty of savagely killing 9 people and attempting to murder 7. Because he liked to drink his victims’ blood, he garnered the nickname “Vampire of Dusseldorf.”

The Norwich Castle, part of the Yorkshire Museum group, posted an image of a pin cushion with the heads of children tucked in a pea pod.

The rural Museum of Fear and Wonder (Alberta, Canada https://www.fearandwonder.ca/) proffered a melted waxwork. The head of a child was stored in a hot attic, and the face melted to make the nose look like a pig’s snout. Once we’re able to travel again, I’m heading to Canada to visit this museum. Their mission is “to highlight the psychological and narrative qualities of objects.”

My favorite offering is a Plague Mask dating from 1650-1750. It belongs to the Deutsches Historisches Museum, https://www.dhm.de/. Kept in the permanent collection, the mask is made of cotton velvet and designed with a long beak that held herbs or material soaked in vinegar. Glass filled the eye holes to protect the wearer in case the disease spread through the eyes. The mask was coated in wax, another layer of protection. Truly terrifying!

Check @YorkshireMuseum every Friday to see the latest challenge.

Haunted Plank from the Amityville House Makes Travel Channel Debut

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Architecture, Curiosities, Famous Locations, Haunted Houses, Hoaxes, Museums, Paranormal, Reality TV, Travel Channel, Uncategorized

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amityville horror, mysteries at the museum, paranormal paparazzi, Travel Channel, traveling museum of the paranormal & occult

Amityville

Haunted Plank from the Amityville House Makes Travel Channel Debut

Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum returned last month with new episodes. The February 9th episode titled “Amityville Haunting, Ghost Army, and Fugitive Golfer” highlighted a piece of wood from the infamous Amityville Horror house. The demonic possession story was a hoax (see previous 2014 article at https://thehauntedlibrarian.com/2014/03/19/amityville-horror-hoax/); however, it doesn’t mean that this piece of wood doesn’t give off bad vibes. It means there may be another story, based on facts, that should be considered.

Interest in Amityville has not ebbed since the 1977 publication of the book, The Amityville Horror. The movie franchise alone has grossed over $170 million dollars. Add TV adaptations and books, and that’s one healthy moneymaker. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the book’s publication. Expect more media coverage.

TheAmityvilleHorrorCover

Given the interest in Amityville, the house makes the requisite rounds on paranormal shows. This is not the first, probably not the last either, time that Travel Channel has showcased the Amityville house. Paranormal Paparazzi (2012) incorporated the house in 3 segments in 2 episodes. One was particularly insightful. Kathy Lutz’s son and George’s step-son Christopher Quaratino claimed that George practiced black witchcraft in the home, causing the paranormal activity to spike. Needless to say, expect more books and versions to emerge.

Greg Newkirk, director of the Traveling Museum of the Paranormal and Occult, appeared on the Mysteries at the Museum episode discussing the plank. Greg and Dana Matthews co-founded the website Week in Weird, www.weekinweird.com, in 2007. Both Greg and Dana contribute articles, and postings are weekly. The articles are thought-provoking and quirky, while remaining true to the blog format: concise. The site has advertisements, a source of revenue; however, they don’t disrupt the reading of the articles. They’ve segued their site into 3 entities: Week in Weird (@WeekinWeird), Planet Weird (@WeirdHQ), and The Traveling Museum of the Paranormal & Occult (@theparamuseum). In 2013, they created the traveling museum to take their stories and artifacts on the road. They’ve collected artifacts from past paranormal investigations and allow the public to handle them. The museum is the modern-day version of curiosity cabinets which featured oddities and bizarre items and peaked in interest during the Victorian era. Visit http://paramuseum.com/ for 2017 dates and more information.

While it is easy to fall back on popular tales, the paranormal world has so much more to be explored. The Amityville plank is a reminder that the original story was made-up and exaggerated for profit. Instead of focusing on the heinous murders and concocting reasons for a demonic possession, readers should question whether George exploited the murders while practicing black magic. He didn’t move into a haunted house; however, he may have created the negative energy by dabbling in something beyond his comprehension.

Frida Kahlo’s The Deceased Dimas Rosas at 3 Years Old

02 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Artists, Artwork, Catholic Church, Famous People, Memento Mori, Museums, Painting, Photography, Uncategorized

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death bed portraits, deceased dimas rosas, frida kahlo, memento mori, postmortem photography, victorian mounring photography

frida

Frida Kahlo’s The Deceased Dimas Rosas at 3 Years Old

Death bed portraitures were a Mexican tradition. These works of art predisposed postmortem photography. The “Angelitos” were dead children who were free of sin. Paintings of these deceased children, usually between the ages of 1-5, were posed to appear alive. The memorial portrait survived the child; it was the only visual memory remaining. Celebrated Mexican artist Frida Kahlo also painted “Angelitos,” death portraits of children.

Painting death portraits seems fitting for Frida, as she suffered physically and mentally throughout her life. At the age of 6, Frida contracted polio, a horrible disease causing her to walk with a limb. Further, at the age of 19, Frida suffered permanent damage to her torso from a bus collision. This accident precluded her from having children. In addition to these physical maladies, Frida endured an open marriage to famed artist, Diego Rivera; political upheaval; and periodic confinement in her home “Casa Azul.” Frida was well aware of death—possibly her own impending death at the age of 47.

frida2

Memento mori were paintings or photographs depicting dead people as if they were alive. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “memento mori” as literally meaning “remember you must die.” Although these “Angelitos,” or Little Angels, paintings celebrated the life of a child by capturing his or her death, the tradition is not related “Day of the Dead.” It is merely another reminder of how life and death are celebrated in Mexico.

The Mexican tradition goes back to the 16th century. It blends the Mexican tradition with Catholicism. Wealthy families would hire an artist to paint the dead children sleeping. It was popular; however, it was costly. Once photography became more widespread and cheaper, it replaced portraiture paintings.

dimas

In 1937, 3 year old child Dimas Rosas became ill. His mother, Delfina, was the housekeeper for Diego and occasionally modeled for him. Diego was the child’s godfather. When Dimas’ condition worsened, Diego tried to persuade the mother and father to take him to a doctor. Instead, they took him to a village witch doctor. Unfortunately, he died. Frida posed the boy in clothing to honor St. Joseph. He is surrounded by flowers, especially marigolds which are a popular “Day of the Dead” bloom. A picture of Jesus Christ as “Lord of the Column” lays on the lace white pillow. He holds a gladiola while resting on a palm leaf mat. All of the things mean something—they represent religious and cultural iconography. A lot of thought went into this painting.

Frida completed the 18 ¾ x 12” oil painting on Masonite, a favorite medium of hers. For some unknown reason, the painting was not given to the family. Instead, it was named “Dressed Up for Paradise” and exhibited in the Julien Levy Gallery in 1938. Next it went to the Art Museum of Philadelphia as “Boy King.” Then owner Somerset Maugham found out about the subject matter and gave it back to Frida. The painting was then given to Frida’s main benefactor, Eduardo Morillo Safa. He, in turn, gave it to Dolores Olmedo where it sits in the Dolores Olmedo Museum in Mexico City. Currently, it is on loan to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is unknown when the name changed; however, it is based on the inscription Frida left on the painting. While Victorian mourning photography is plentiful online and in private collections, these postmortem paintings are difficult to locate. If given the chance, head to The Dali. It is worth visiting and seeing this incredible piece of art.

End of Uniquely Americana Entertainment: World-Famous Ringling Closing

15 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Circus, Curiosities, Disasters, Famous People, Museums, Uncategorized

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barnum & bailey, circus fire, eleanor emily clark, feejee mermaid, feld entertainment, general tom thumb, jenny lind, jumbo, little miss 1565, pt barnum, ringling brothers bros

barnumandbaileytop

End of Uniquely Americana Entertainment: World-Famous Ringling Closing

 

“There’s a sucker born every minute.”

P.T. Barnum

Feld Entertainment Inc., owner of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, will turn down the lights one last time this May, 2017. The circus had a robust 146 year run. Kenneth Feld, Chairman and CEO, cited several reasons for shuttering the iconic circus: high operating costs, declining ticket sales, changing public opinions, and protesting organizations. Ultimately, the circus industry has lost the battle with motion pictures, streaming services, and game systems. With Ringling closing, the era of uniquely Americana circus curiosities ends.

Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum hobbled together a traveling side show act. In 1841, he bought Scudder’s American Museum, a 500+ collection of curiosities. “The Feejee Mermaid” join in 1842 with “General Tom Thumb,” real name Charles Stratton, following shortly after. Barnum expanded the variety of the show by hiring Jenny Lind, “The Swedish Nightingale,” who hypnotized audiences with her liltingly songs. However, Barnum would soon find his big act.

In 1882 for $10,000, he purchased “Jumbo” an Asian elephant, and the audiences loved him. Since then elephants became the staple of circus routines. Ironically, it was animal protesters forcing the circus to agree to retire all the elephants by 2018 who killed the business. Circus-goers love the elephants; the elephants comprised the bulk of the show. As the elephants were relocated to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation, the circus attempted to reignite the show by updating acts. Ultimately, this could not sustain the circus.

Barnum's Elephant

Five Ringling brothers founded their circus in 1884 in Baraboo, Wisconsin. By 1907, their circus had eclipsed Barnum & Bailey; therefore, the brothers purchased the remaining stocks for $400,000. They ran two separate circuses until 1919, when it became economically advantageous to operate as one. The Ringling family owned the circus until 1967, when they sold it to Feld Entertainment, Inc. It’s been quite a long history.

ringlingfamily

Feld Entertainment released a statement that the existing animals will be placed in “suitable homes.” The company has not stated where the costumes and other props and memorabilia will be housed or sold off. Established in 1948, the Ringling Museum of the American Circus is housed on the Ringling Estate, comprised of the Ringling Museum of Art, Ca’d’Zan, The Historic Asolo Theater, and the Bayfront Gardens. Hopefully, the Circus Museum has the resources to preserve, maintain, and display this uniquely Americana collection.

The circus industry has suffered tragedies and fatalities over the nearly 200 year history. Most notably for Ringling were 1) a horrendous train wreck on August 22, 1889; and 2) a great fire enveloping the Big Top on July 6, 1944. The fire haunts me to this day.

hartfordfire

Hung on a wall, tucked in a corner inside the Circus Museum was an old newspaper article. As a middle school-age kid, I wandered around as the article caught my eye. I still don’t know why since it was in black and white, and yellowed with age. I remember standing in the corner reading about the fatal fire. On July 6, 1944 in Hartford, Conn., the hot, stale air caught fire beside the Big Top. The fire was fast, fierce, and deadly. One hundred and sixty-eight people died. Over 700 injured. At least 50 animals were killed. The article was sad, but it was history. The pictures fascinated me. I stood there staring at them. I continued reading the exhibit documents. Some children were victims of the fire. That made me very sad. I continued to read. There was one female child, a child with blonde hair—between the ages of 6-8 possibly—who sustained fatal burns. The bodies were laid out underneath a large tent for identification. No one came to positively identify this child. This broke my heart. She became known as “Little Miss 1565.” The number was assigned in numeric order to the unidentified bodies in the county. This story haunted me.

littlemiss1565

I dreamt of being under the Big Top when the fire starts. That blonde girl haunted my dreams. She visited for several years. In my dreams, amongst the flames, she stood before me. And we run, run toward the exit. We never made it out.

Some years passed; I grew up. At some point I remembered the girl and started researching. I was relieved when I located an article where on May 8, 1991, she was finally identified as Eleanor Emily Clark. Her remains were removed; she was interred with her family. Finally, she is at peace.

littlemiss

I never returned to a circus after reading the article. They didn’t interest me. I don’t like carnivals, either. However, I’m sad that Ringling is closing. It’s the end of an age where people were willing to open their minds and consider the impossible. To think, well, just maybe, this does exist.

 

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Archer Paranormal Investigations

Archer Paranormal Investigations

The Haunted Librarian

Gainesville, Florida

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