Rededication ceremony held for P.T. Barnum mural at Bethel Town Hall
Barnum was born and raised in Bethel. The 23-foot-long piece was painted by artist Brechin Morgan in 1989. He was inspired to create the artwork after reading a series of books about Barnum, including his two autobiographies.
Bethel officials honored the life and legacy of one of its most famous residents Wednesday.
A rededication ceremony was held for the P.T. Barnum mural located in the general purpose room inside Town Hall.
Barnum was born and raised in Bethel.
The 23-foot-long piece was painted by artist Brechin Morgan in 1989. He was inspired to create the artwork after reading a series of books about Barnum, including his two autobiographies.
For years, the mural was displayed inside a rest stop off of I-84 in Danbury. Bethel officials say when the rest stop closed, the mural disappeared.
In November 2024, Morgan told his friend and Bethel resident Kathryn Hebert about the mural and explained he did not know where it was. He says while he was concerned about the disappearance, he did not go looking for the artwork.
Hebert later tracked down the piece and discovered it was in Hartford. Hebert and town officials worked together to bring the piece back to town.
"This is part of Bethel's heritage so bringing it here, in this space where everyone can see it, it's accessible to everyone. There's a lot of activity at town hall. That's why it was important. It's part of Bethel's heritage and it's part of historical preservation. It's part of sharing those stories," she says.
Morgan says that Barnum has had a lasting impacted on American culture, especially regarding promotion.
Aside from the mural, there is also a statue of Barnum in front of the town library, located walking distance from Town Hall.
