Mermaids of Vaudeville: Women Aquatic Entertainers of the 1870s Through 1920s

Swimming entertainment captured the imagination of visitors at dime museums, variety and vaudeville theatres, local fairs, industrial exhibitions, and other venues in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After beginning with "menfish"—male tank swimmers—these performances were highlighed by Boston's Sallie Swift, the first US water queen, and other women.

This history profiles a series of women aquatic entertainers through the 1920s. Most, such as Canada's Clara Bec...