The register of the Merchants Exchange Hotel of Portland, Maine, contains daily entries from fall 1891 through winter 1892, documenting the names of each visitor to the hotel, their city of origin, and room number. The register is a partially printed volume, created by Maynard, Gough & Co. of Worcester, Massachusetts, manufacturers of "Advertising Hotel Registers" and suppliers of other hotel printing. One significant aspect of the register is the regular influx of actors, minstrel groups, comedians, variety show persons, burlesque performers, theater production casts, and other artists. Perhaps with a mind to free advertising, these artists tended to identify their company, management, production, or show dates alongside their names.
The register of the Merchants Exchange Hotel of Portland, Maine, contains daily entries from fall 1891 through winter 1892, documenting the names of each visitor to the hotel, their city of origin, and room number. The register is a partially printed volume, created by Maynard, Gough & Co. of Worcester, Massachusetts, manufacturers of "Advertising Hotel Registers" and suppliers of other hotel printing. It begins with a printed guide to city populations and hotel rates for establishments across the United States, along with two pages of printed advertisements for hotels in New York and New England. Each page of the register has a printed header and every other leaf contains the same advertisements throughout the volume. The first and last pages have pasted-in newspaper clippings with transportation information and other matter.
One significant aspect of the register is the regular influx of actors, minstrel groups, comedians, variety show persons, burlesque performers, theater production casts, and other artists. Perhaps with a mind to free advertising, these artists tended to identify their company, management, production, or show dates alongside their names.
The following is a partial list of the performance groups that checked into the hotel:
- Peck and Fursman's Uncle Tom's Cabin Company (August 20-28, 1891).
- Emily Zola's Parisian Beauties (September 7, 1891).
- Leonard and Flynn, comedy duo, John Leonard and John Flynn, "Two Irish Cuckoos" (October 22, 1891).
- Charles Mumford, manager of the Fisk Jubilee Singers (November 1, 1891).
- Agent and company performing the "Crystal Slipper"--individual names not listed (November 8 and 12, 1891).
- The Novelty Trio of Rolland Carter, William Hafford, and Jack Bryant (November 15, 1891).
- A group including Frank Sheridan and Charles A. Morton (November 17, 1891).
- The Blue and Gray Company, en route (November 20, 1891).
- Members of a production of "Ship Ahoy!" (November 24, 1891).
- J. C. Knapp and Frank Smith of Hi Henry's Minstrels (December 26, 1891).
- The Lucius Consolidated Minstrels, including "Gen. Sgt." George W. Huntley (January 11 and 16, 1892).
- Whallen & Martell's vaudeville company (February 11, 1892).
- Part of the Ullie Akerstrom Company (February 15, 1892).
- The Royal Pass Company (February 19, 1892).
- Fay Foster Burlesque Company (February 22, 1892).
- Part of Cleveland's Minstrels (April 17, 1892).
- A production of "One of the Finest" with Henrietta Berleur (April 27, 1892).
- Primrose and West's Minstrels (May 6, 1892).
- Part of a production of "Uncle Hiram" (May 11, 1892).