Austin and Stone's Dime Museum (ca.1880s-1900s) of Boston, Massachusetts, was an entertainment emporium in Scollay Square (no.4 Tremont Row), established by William Austin and Frank Stone.[1][2] It featured a freak show as well as dancing girls for entertainment. The freak show and other exhibits such as two-headed animals cost ten cents, while admission to the girlie show cost an additional dime. Performers included William S. Hutchings, the "lightning calculator."[3] Comedian Fred Allen wrote about the Museum in his memoir, Much Ado About Me.
References
^Stulman Dennett, Andrea (1997). Weird and wonderful: the dime museum in America. New York: NYU Press. ISBN978-0-8147-1886-5.
^Boston Almanac and Business Directory. 1885, 1887, 1889, 1894
^William S. Hutchings (1832-1911). New York Times, August 26, 1911
Images
Advertisement, "international assemblage of giants," 1889
