1840: Theatre at Mrs. Goodman’s Hotel, Owego, NY

According to Kingman’s book, Owego – some account of the early settlement…, Philip Goodman came to Owego, Tioga County, New York, from Dansville, Pennsylvania in 1824.  He eventually became the landlord of a tavern built in 1815 by General Laning which was later called the Union Coffee House. Goodman was the landlord until his death in 1838 at which time his widow, Jane Goodman, continued the business until March  1841 when she opened a tavern on the south side of the Susquehanna River near the bridge toll house.

Owego Gazette, March 1840

In an adjacent column to the THEATRE advertisement:

THEATRE.

The attention of the lovers of the Drama is referred to the advertisement of Messrs. Powell & Hoffman, contained in another column. The above gentlemen, and Company have been performing in this village for several evenings past, to good acceptance, and continue to attract increasing numbers to witness their exhibitions — a better compliment than which need not be paid them — the spontaneous expression of public sentiment in their favor — and which, it is believed, seldom misjudges true merit.

The Owego Gazette, March 12, 1840