26 Circus Freaks That Actually Existed! Historical Photos

Comments · 2.9K

• CH

  @charliebishop6235 · 2 years ago · pinned

  It was about 1959 or 60 (4-5 yrs old) when I saw a Circus come to town by rail and &quot;parade&quot; to the fair grounds (New Britain, Ct). My Dad took me to watch the parade and later the tents go up and I did watch Elephants pulling tent ropes and was of course amazed. We did go one evening but I honestly don&apos;t remember the show itself...however, what I do remember vividly was the Freak Show. I remember two performers in particular the sword-swallower, an older man in a beat-up tux that let me touch his throat as he put a curved blade down his gullet and the other, a man without limbs beyond elbows or knees and his act was just taking out a cigarette, striking a match and smoking who spoke to me the whole time and they impacted me profoundly about what people are beyond what I see <br>Different times now…I hardly tell people about seeing things like that as a kid these days since it feels more like I&apos;m relating being abused but I think my Dad let me see things like that to not be afraid just because someone or something looks different

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• BA

  @babyIwelcomethepressure · 2 years ago

  We have modern day circuses, they&apos;re just referred to as TikTok and Twitter.

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• RA

  @Radladd · 2 years ago

  I love how you highlight their talents and not degrade their differences. Nice job.

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• TH

  @TheKadanz · 1 year ago

  Imagine standing in line at the store and instead of turning around the guy just turns his head 180 degrees and starts small talk about the weather.

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• JI

  @jimglass3106 · 2 years ago

  The one thing I find frustrating and sad is that the &quot;enlightened&quot; people who who protested and eventually ended Side Shows didn&apos;t consider the consequences. For most of the &quot;circus freaks&quot;,whose physical conditions and deformities prevented them from being hired in any conventional occupation, lost their only means to support themselves.

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• GR

  @gregclark8256 · 1 year ago

  dang, parents were pretty mercenary in the 1800s, selling your kids to the circus is next level savage.

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• ST

  @starlawilson9011 · 2 years ago

  You did a great job of showcasing these people as human people and not freaks to be gawked at. Good job

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• OU

  @outrightmentaldefective · 2 years ago

  The piercing didn&apos;t harm him but he died from cancer from all the xrays

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• 95

  @95rav · 2 years ago

  Being conjoined twins would suck so bad, especially knowing if your twin died, you were on the way out too...

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• XT

  @xtendency8 · 2 years ago

  How strong must these people have been emotionally and mentally

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• JU

  @juliandilling2702 · 2 years ago

  At least they all made a living from their unique looks

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• BR

  @brookswade5774 · 2 years ago

  God bless them all. Life couldn’t have been easy.

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