This lot is a letter written from theatre actor, J. E. Nugent, to an unidentified “Mr. S.” The handwritten letter was written on stationary from the Elmwood House at the corner of Main and Pearl streets in Malone, New York. Presumably, Nugent was staying in the Elmwood House during his show. He writes:

Mr. S.

Opened here last night to a boomer. Work her up.

J. E. Nugent

The letter has no indication of the show Nugent is referencing or the theatre in which he’s acting. It does, however, convey some of the excitement all actors share when opening a new show.

Built in the mid-1800s, the Elmwood House was a beautiful old homestead before it became a commercial property, first as a furniture store and then, in the 1870s, as a hotel. The owner and proprietor was James L. Hogle, a well-known businessman in Malone. He sold the property in the 1890s. After extensive renovation, the renamed Olympic House burned to the ground in 1899, one month after reopening.

All our items are kept in a smoke-free and pet-free environment.