Who was Frank Leslie?

The name appears on one of the most influential illustrated newspapers of the 19th century, yet the life behind it is far more complex and far more surprising than most visitors expect. This exhibit invites you to step into the world of Miriam Florence Follin, a woman who lived many lives and refused to remain confined by the limits placed on her time.

Born in New Orleans in 1836, Miriam’s early years were shaped by instability, movement, and unanswered questions about identity and belonging. As a young woman, she learned quickly that survival required adaptability, intelligence, and reinvention. Over the course of her life, she would adopt multiple names, roles, and public identities, each reflecting a different chapter in an extraordinary journey.

Saratoga Springs emerges as a recurring and transformative setting in this story. In the mid-19th century, the city was more than a fashionable resort; it was a crossroads of politics, culture, wealth, and ambition. Here, Miriam entered influential social circles, observed power up close, and began to shape a public presence that drew attention wherever she went.

Visitors will encounter the world of lavish balls, elite gatherings, and grand estates, alongside the quieter realities of illness, financial uncertainty, and personal risk. This exhibit traces how appearances could dazzle while concealing deeper struggles, and how wit, education, and strategic relationships became tools for survival in a society that rarely rewarded women’s independence.

At the heart of the exhibit is a turning point that redefined Miriam’s place in history. Faced with loss and mounting pressure, she made a bold decision that placed her in a position few women of the era ever occupied. From that moment forward, the name Frank Leslie would carry new meaning, one shaped by authority, innovation, and controversy.

The story does not end with wealth or recognition. Instead, it opens onto larger questions about legacy, power, and influence. What does it mean to control a public voice? How does one individual shape movements larger than themselves? And how do the choices made in private echo through public history?

Frank Leslie Exhibit invites you to discover a life that defies easy labels, one intertwined with Saratoga Springs and with a pivotal moment in American social change. The full story awaits inside the museum.