Geronimo and the Sun Simulator at the World Fair

Ive been wanting to create a dedicated post to Geronimo for quite some time after I read his account of the St Louis World Fair. It is clear it was not penned by a hostile Indian warlord prisoner but thats not the part that I want to showcase. The account contains one of the oddest statements I have ever come across online, which is saying something considering the content of this site.

Geronimo was a central character in the fake Cowboys and Indians narrative. He was allowed to sell his autograph and keep profits but at the same time was a prisoner of war and was never left unattended by armed escorts. That aint even most of it.

Geronimo’s ghostwriter describes what I can only interpret as a sun simulator and manufactured weather event.

One day we went into another show, and as soon as we were in it, it changed into night. It was real night, for I could feel the damp air; soon it began to thunder, and the lightning flashed; it was real lightning, too, for it struck just above our heads. I dodged and wanted to run away but I could not tell which way to go in order to get out. The guards motioned me to keep still and so I stayed. In front of us were some strange little people who came out on the platform; then I looked up again and the clouds were all gone, and I could see stars shining. The little people on the platform did not seem in earnest about anything they did; so I only laughed at them. All the people around where we sat seemed to be laughing at me.

Geronimo at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair

Fake Indians at the World Fair

In the early 1800’s fake Indians were brought to life by Agents of the War Dept; portrait painters, illustrators and written descriptions. Almost a hundred years later technology gave us the camera and showman like PT Barnum made it a spectacle.