Austin and Stone's Dime Museum

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
  1. Andrea Stulman Dennett. Weird and wonderful: the dime museum in America. NY: NYU Press, 1997
  2. Boston Almanac and Business Directory. 1885, 1887, 1889, 1894
  3. William S. Hutchings (1832-1911). New York Times, August 26, 1911

Images
  • Advertisement, "international assemblage of giants," 1889
  • Advertisement, "Prof. Welton's performing cats," 1893
  • Advertisement, 1894
  • Detail of 1896 map of Boston, showing Austin & Stone's Museum near Howard St.


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