Program

Legends & Lore®

Subject

Folklore

Location

13 Museum St, Philippi, WV 26416, USA

Lat/Long

39.153382, -80.042475

Grant Recipient

City of Philippi

The small town of Philippi, West Virginia, is home to two unusual mummies with an incredible history that have traveled around the world. They aren’t from ancient Egypt or Peru, but were preserved in this town in West Virginia by a local farmer turned scientist. It all began more than 130 years ago with a farmer named Graham Hamrick who was trying to develop an embalming method. He wanted to emulate the methods of the ancient Egyptians. Initially experimenting on fruits and vegetables, he later found an opportunity to try his technique on two cadavers. His efforts were a success. The mummies were shown to P.T. Barnum and they began to travel with his circus. The Smithsonian Institution took notice and offered to display his work if he provided his embalming formula, but Hamrick refused. After traveling with Barnum, they were returned to Philippi where they were stored in a barn for many years.

Eventually the mummies were acquired by a local couple. They kept them in storage until the nearby Tygart Valley River flooded its banks and the water nearly destroyed them. Following another flood and worried about their worsening condition, the mummies were given to the county historical society, where they have been restored and safely kept. To this day, many local residents have their own stories about the mummies.