Historian and podcast icon Mike Allen will present his lecture and presentation, “The Greatest Showman on Earth: P.T. Barnum,” on Sunday, November 19, at 2 pm. The program will be in the meeting room of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

The event is co-sponsored by the library and Newtown Historical Society.

Once the wealthiest man in America, Barnum may well be the most famous Fairfield County resident on earth. While he made most of his fortune in New York City, Allen posits that it was the lessons Barnum learned growing up in Bethel that led to his later success.

Both Barnum’s early life and his later years in Bridgeport have not been widely explored nor discussed, until now. Utilizing these two time periods — the bookends of Barnum’s life — as the context for his presentation, Allen’s lecture will provide a unique lens through which attendees can better understand this greatest of showmen.

Mike Allen, a proud Connecticut native, is the producer and host of the highly-rated podcast, “Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut’s Beaten Path,” which features weekly programs on people, places, and events from Connecticut history.

There is no charge for the program, but donations will be accepted for Newtown Historical Society.

Leave a message at 203-426-5937 or visit newtownhistory.org for additional information.