Latest news-2016: Williamsport errects Houdini plaque due to our research.
Houdini spent the two longest engagements of his entire career in North East Pannsylvania with the Welsh Brothers Circus.

HARRY HOUDINI VISITS WILLIAMSPORT 1920's

Harry Houdini appeared here at the Pine Street United Methodist Church in the
1920's. Three buildings, erected here in 1826, 1843, and 1868-69, had already come
and gone prior to this visit. Houdini performed in the church built in 1910 that was
unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1997. The present church was dedicated in 1980.
In 1895, not yet famous, Houdini, 21, performed at the "old fair grounds" with
the Welch Brothers Circus. Papers raved about his "Metamorphosis" trick. As part
of his show at the church, he exposed spiritualists who claimed to contact the dead
with a huge $5,000 challenge to do something he could not replicate. Houdini told
the crowd he "had never seen any town change as much." His exploits here were
uncovered by magicians Dorothy Dietrich & Dick Brookz of the nearby Houdini
Museum in Scranton, the only building in the world dedicated to Houdini.
Furthermore, a Houdini exhibit is on display in the lobby of City Hall.

2016

Here is Harry Houdini as he looked in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1895.
He is the one of the far right with the number 6 on the picture.
This picture would have been from a Harry Houdini scrapbook.

Picture of Welsh Brothers Circus, 1895

Here is the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Monday, Jul 1, 1895,
Page 5 showing the Welsh Brothers circus appeared in Williamsport


Here is the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Tue, Jul 2, 1895,
Page 5 showing the Welsh Brothers circus appeared in Williamsport


Here are two listings on page 4 in the August 10, 1895 of the Pennsylvania
Tyrone Daily Herald that show Harry Houdini Playing in Tyrone, shortly after Williamsport.


The following mentions Clifford Newton. Wonder if that was the same Newton family
who would later give birth to vaudeville performerDell O'Dell. More research needed.
It is great to see the name of the acts Harry Houdini has often been pictured with in 1895.

The following mentions the 1895 tour and Newton


The following mentions the 1895 tour and the closing of the show there.
HARRY HOUDINI RETURNS TO WILLIAMSPORT CIRCA 1925

The article mentions Williamsport's Pine Street United Methodist Church which is still there, though the building has been rebuilt due to a fire..
Here us the direct link to the above picture should you wish to blow it up.

Here is an ad from another church in the same paper around the same time . Note it says about Spiritualism, "A positive Bible answer will be given"
Here is how the Pine Street United Methodist Church would have looked around the time Harry Houdini came to Williamsport to do his lecture about mediums and spiritualists.

Here is another picture of Welsh Brothers Circus, probably 1898.


This incudes Harry Houdini with wife Bess (Beatrice) seated on his left.
We found a picture that we felt would be better, but could not get permission to use it.

NEW! Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about our tour & show.
Click here to see a few pictures of the Harry Houdini tour

CLICK HERE a view of the interior. This is the room that features the photos of Houdini's mother & father that hung in Houdini's home.

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BREAKING NEWS. We have restored the missing bust at Houdini's grave. Gone for 36 years! A half page story world wide in the New York Times. Click here. and here.

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Kingdom Products, who donated products that helped restoreHoudini's grave site bust.

Concrete Texturing Tool and Supply, Inc., who donated products that helped restoreHoudini's grave site bust.