Photograph: "Construction of P.T. Barnum's home, Marina, with his Waldemere mansion on left" (owned by Barnum Museum)
Photograph of P. T. Barnum's third and fourth homes, in Bridgeport, Conn., taken in 1888 by an unknown photographer. On the left is the Victorian... Show morePhotograph of P. T. Barnum's third and fourth homes, in Bridgeport, Conn., taken in 1888 by an unknown photographer. On the left is the Victorian mansion called Waldemere, which Barnum built in 1869 for his first wife, Charity Hallett, whose doctor advised that she live near the sea air to imporve her health. To the right, under construction, is the home Barnum called Marina, which he built for his second wife, Nancy Fish Barnum, who was forty years younger than himself. Since it was expected that Nancy would outlive him, Barnum wanted to provide her with a more modern home that required less maintenance than Waldemere. Marina was designed by the Bridgeport architectural firm Longstaff and Hurd, and completed in 1889. Barnum died in 1891. Nancy only occupied the home for two more years before permanently leaving Bridgeport to live in Europe. The homes were situated near Seaside Park, facing Long Island Sound, on land that is now the location of the University of Bridgeport. Waldemere was taken down after Marina was completed; portions of it were repurposed at other sites. Marina was demolished in 1961. Show less