Charles Willson Peale, despite his devotion to the taxonomic and contemplative majesty of the natural world, nevertheless loved novelties and used all sorts of amusements to attract customers to his museum. He eventually resorted to hiring a popular musical performer who played five different instruments simultaneously, using all parts of his body. Following Peale’s death the museum passed into the enterprising hands of P. T. Barnum, becoming part of his traveling circus — a romantic ending for an Enlightenment institution.
Places to Visit
| Place | City Sort descending | |
|---|---|---|
| Bennington Battle Monument | Bennington | An obelisk marks the site where military supplies were stored and commemorates the battle that took place two miles away in New York. |
| Bennington Museum | Bennington | Memorializes the Battle of Bennington (1777); includes local and military artifacts and the “Bennington Flag.” |
| Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site | Hubbardton | The visitor center has a museum that includes artifacts and a diorama of the battle. |
| Mount Independence State Historic Site | Orwell | Remnants of a fort and the most important Revolutionary War site in Vermont. Originally connected to Fort Ticonderoga by a floating bridge. |
| Lake Champlain Maritime Museum | Vergennes | Dedicated to preserving the maritime history of Lake Champlain, it includes a replica of a gunboat used by Benedict Arnold. |
| Old Constitution House | Windsor | Delegates from the independent state of Vermont met here to write a constitution, making it a republic. |
Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 (2009)