Two weeks ago, I was at Wilson Library exploring “From Di-Phis to Loreleis,” when an exhibit in the corner caught my eye. Eng and Chang Bunker, Siamese twins, were staring at me from their blown-up photograph!
I thought to myself, “Why are these two men in the same room as memorabilia from the UNC basketball team? Where is the NC connection, Wilson Library Collection?”
In 1811 Eng and Chang Bunker were born in Thailand (then Siam) in a fishing village called Meklong. Joined at the chest, the conjoined twins traveled Europe, the United States, Canada and the Caribbean as part of a sideshow for P.T. Barnum.
Due to the Bunkers’ fame and success, conjoined twins are now often called “Siamese” twins.
But wait, how did a photo of the Bunkers end up in Wilson Library? Because the Bunkers lived in North Carolina!
In the 1830s, they moved to a farm in Wilkes County, NC and married sisters. During their 63 long years of life, they had 21 children.
In addition to fathering a nickname and many progeny, they have spawned a digital collection through the library’s website.
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