Editing P. T. Barnum (section)

==Legacy==

Barnum built four mansions in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]]: [[Iranistan]], Lindencroft, Waldemere and Marina. Iranistan was the most notable, a [[Moorish Revival]] architecture designed by [[Leopold Eidlitz]] with domes, spires and lacy fretwork inspired by the [[Royal Pavilion]] in [[Brighton]], England. It was built in 1848 but it was destroyed by fire in 1857.<ref>[http://www.barnum-museum.org/core.htm Barnum Museum Core Exhibits] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630081729/http://www.barnum-museum.org/core.htm |date=June 30, 2007 }}</ref> The Marina was demolished by the University of Bridgeport in 1964 in order to build a cafeteria.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

[[File:P. T. Barnum Monument (1887), Seaside Park, Bridgeport, CT - April 2016.JPG|thumb|180px|''P. T. Barnum'', an 1887 sculpture by [[Thomas Ball (artist)|Thomas Ball]], Seaside Park, Bridgeport, Connecticut]]
[[File:Bridgeport obverse.jpg|thumb|180px|Obverse of the 1936 commemorative [[Bridgeport, Connecticut, Centennial half dollar|Bridgeport Centennial half dollar]] ]]
At his death, critics praised Barnum for his philanthropy and called him an icon of American spirit and ingenuity. He asked the ''Evening Sun'' to print his obituary just prior to his death so that he might read it. On April 7, 1891, Barnum asked about the box-office receipts for the day, and a few hours later, he died.<ref name="obit2"/>

In 1893, a statue in Barnum's honor was erected by his former partners [[James Anthony Bailey|James Bailey]], James A. Hutchinson and W. W. Cole at [[Seaside Park (Bridgeport, Connecticut)|Seaside Park]] in Bridgeport.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Barnum Statue Unveiled |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1893/07/05/archives/barnum-statue-unveiled-bridgeports-people-pay-a-tribute-to-the.html |date=July 4, 1893 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=waldo>{{Cite book|author=George Curtis Waldo |title=History of Bridgeport and vicinity, Volume 1 |year=1917 |publisher=S. J. Clarke |pages=279–280 |  url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofbridgep01wald#page/n337/mode/2up |isbn=978-1-144-35927-8 }}</ref> Barnum had donated the land for the park in 1865. His circus was sold to [[Ringling Brothers]] on July 8, 1907, for $400,000, {{Inflation|index=US|value=400000|start_year=1907|fmt=eq}}.<ref name="kunhardt2"/> The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses ran separately until they merged in 1919, forming the [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus]].

The [[United States Mint]] issued a [[Bridgeport, Connecticut, Centennial half dollar|commemorative coin]] in 1936 for Bridgeport's centennial celebration with Barnum's portrait for the obverse.<ref>{{cite news |last=Slater |first=Chuck |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/18/nyregion/a-coin-true-to-barnum-controversy-and-all.html |title=A Coin True to Barnum, Controversy and All |work=The New York Times |date=November 18, 2001}}</ref> Cartoonist [[Walt Kelly]], a Bridgeport native, named a character in Barnum's honor in his ''[[Pogo (comic strip)|Pogo]]'' comic strip. An ongoing<ref>{{cite web|url= https://barnumfestival.org|title=Welcome to the Barnum Festival|website=barnumfestival.org|access-date=September 1, 2024}}</ref> annual multi-week Barnum Festival has been held since 1949<ref>{{cite web | url= https://barnumfestival.org/history|title= History of the Barnum Festival}}</ref> in Bridgeport.<ref>Michael Knight, [https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/20/archives/barnum-festival-revels-in-hoopla-and-humbug.html "Barnum Festival Revels in Hoopla and Humbug"], ''The New York Times'', June 20, 1975, p. 35.</ref> The Bethel Historical Society commissioned a life-sized sculpture to honor the 200th anniversary of his birth, created by local resident David Gesualdi and placed outside the public library.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Homayon |first=Marietta |url=http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Town-gets-grant-to-promote-Barnum-247169.php|title=Town gets grant to promote Barnum |work=[[The News-Times|The Danbury News-Times]] |date=July 8, 2004}}</ref> The statue was dedicated in September 2010.<ref>{{Cite news| author=FitzGerald, Eileen |url=http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Barnum-s-Ivy-Island-to-be-showcased-at-town-578735.php |title=Barnum's Ivy Island to be showcased at celebration |work=Danbury News Times |date=July 15, 2010}}</ref>

In 1883 Barnum cofounded, with Charles E. Tooker, the [[Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry|Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company]], which continues to operate across [[Long Island Sound]] between [[Port Jefferson, New York]] and Bridgeport. The company owns and operates three vessels, one of which is named the M.V. ''PT Barnum''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.88844ferry.com/about-us/a-look-at-the-fleet/ |title=A Look at the Fleet |work=The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company |access-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=January 12, 1890|journal=[[Brooklyn Eagle|The Brooklyn Daily Eagle]]|location=[[Brooklyn#New York City borough|Brooklyn, New York]]|page=9, col. 5|url=http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031151/1890-01-12/ed-1/seq-9/|issue=1890/01/12|title=SHOWMAN BARNUM'S BARN ATTACHED.|quote=Four [[mechanic's lien]]s have been filed by workmen, of Port Jefferson, against P.T. Barnum, the showman, for labor and materials on the new barn put up last Fall on the farm of P.T. Barnum at Port Jefferson.}}</ref> The [[Barnum Museum]] in Bridgeport houses many of his oddities and curiosities.