Another Human Oddity
In the same vein as the modern human oddity (AKA "freak") I shared a picture of with you yesterday, here's a more historical--and I think quite fascinating--unusual person:
Lucia Zarate
Lucia was one little person featured in old side shows who didn’t need to exaggerate how small she was. Billed as the Mexican Lilliputian, she was easily one of the tiniest people who ever lived. She was also one of the largest drawing cards and highest paid human oddities of her time, with museums averaging seven hundred dollars a week during her engagements. Earning as much as twenty dollars per hour, Lucia accumulated a small fortune including enough to purchase her own ranch near Chihuahua, in her native Mexico. Quite an accomplishment given her relatively short career.
Born in 1864, in San Carlos, Mexico, Lucia weighed eight ounces and was only seven inches long. At the age of twelve Lucia came to the United States accompanied by her father, an interpreter, and an attendant. By this time she reportedly weighed 5 pounds and was 20 inches tall. Her arms were eight inches long with her waist being just fourteen inches around.
In her promotions, the famous Tom Thumb was described as being a "Giant" compared to her. One museum even offered the prize of a diamond ring to any baby who could wear the same size ring.
This "Wonderful Mexican Pigmy" was billed as being "perfect in form and feature." Modern writings describe her as bright, animated and intelligent. A more likely circumstance is that of an 1890 report describing her as "wizened, wrinkled, and extremely ugly." Her mind being "underdeveloped" and being "unable to talk except on the most ordinary topics." Close examination of her photos reveals a very homely looking woman at best.
Lucia’s career came to an end in 1890 on her way to an engagement in San Francisco. In the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, near Truckee, California, the train she was traveling on became
stalled due to blizzards and heavy snow. It took a week for the train to be dug out, but tragically, in the interim, the frail little woman died of exposure.
Lucia Zarate
Lucia was one little person featured in old side shows who didn’t need to exaggerate how small she was. Billed as the Mexican Lilliputian, she was easily one of the tiniest people who ever lived. She was also one of the largest drawing cards and highest paid human oddities of her time, with museums averaging seven hundred dollars a week during her engagements. Earning as much as twenty dollars per hour, Lucia accumulated a small fortune including enough to purchase her own ranch near Chihuahua, in her native Mexico. Quite an accomplishment given her relatively short career.Born in 1864, in San Carlos, Mexico, Lucia weighed eight ounces and was only seven inches long. At the age of twelve Lucia came to the United States accompanied by her father, an interpreter, and an attendant. By this time she reportedly weighed 5 pounds and was 20 inches tall. Her arms were eight inches long with her waist being just fourteen inches around.
In her promotions, the famous Tom Thumb was described as being a "Giant" compared to her. One museum even offered the prize of a diamond ring to any baby who could wear the same size ring.
This "Wonderful Mexican Pigmy" was billed as being "perfect in form and feature." Modern writings describe her as bright, animated and intelligent. A more likely circumstance is that of an 1890 report describing her as "wizened, wrinkled, and extremely ugly." Her mind being "underdeveloped" and being "unable to talk except on the most ordinary topics." Close examination of her photos reveals a very homely looking woman at best.
Lucia’s career came to an end in 1890 on her way to an engagement in San Francisco. In the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, near Truckee, California, the train she was traveling on became
stalled due to blizzards and heavy snow. It took a week for the train to be dug out, but tragically, in the interim, the frail little woman died of exposure.
posted by Heather at
6:55 PM
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