1883.....Minstrel Show at Allentown.........
by Ron Taylor, Alma Town Historian
The Oil Boom hit the Town of Alma & Allentown hard for the first time about spring, 1883. The town of Allentown grew during this time to about 1600 people and over 65 new businesses were started up....this according to the Bolivar Breeze.
Thanks to the newspaper clips by County Historian Craig Braack we can show a tiny insight of what was happening in the little town grown big.....
From the Allegany County Democrat; 6/20/1883, p-3
followed on same page, lower down the column....
and a week later, 6/27/1883
This was big-time shows for a tiny town.....the oil money being earned made the trip to Allentown a profitable venture for the traveling Minstrel Show
The old opera house burned, according to an interview with Earl Cady who lived through the period. It was located on Main Street across from what was known as Odd Fellows Hall. Following the fire, the entertainment continued in the Odd Fellows Hall.