Legg HallLegg Hall
Currently operating as luxury Condos, Legg Hall was once the quaint little movie house called the Colonial Theatre. ocated in a building name Legg Hall which opened February 4, 1868 with a concert performance. In the mid-1910’s it was converted into a moving picture theatre. In 1920 it was renamed Huxford Theatre which was listed with 500 seats. In 1941 it was renamed Colonial Theatre operating through to the late-1970’s.
In 1866-68, across the street, Thayer built Legg Hall to honor his father-in-law. In 1873, when the wood-framed St. James’ church was being torn down to make way for construction of a new stone church, Legg Hall welcomed the parish and served as its house of worship until the new building was completed.
John Legg (1773-1857) was a blacksmith, a carriage maker, and a businessman who prospered in the Village. His son-in-law and daughter, Mr. & Mrs. Joel Thayer, donated the tower clock in memory of her parents, Mr. & Mrs. John Legg, on Christmas of 1873. The clock was made by Howard Delano of Mottville.
Source: https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/
On December 2nd, 1868, Phineas Taylor Barnum, America’s greatest showman, delivered his lecture, “The Art of Money-Getting,” at Legg Hall.
P.T. Barnum had made a fortune with his American Museum in New York City, with its 850,000 exhibits and curiosities, and lost it all through bad investments.
In 1858, he went to England, wrote “The Art of Money-Getting,” and presented the two-hour lecture more than 100 times in England and continental Europe, before trotting it out across the United States.
The Oswego Times noted, “No man of common sense can hear such a lecture without being both delighted and largely benefited by it.”
“I will loose my camel, and trust it to God!” “No, no, not so,” said the Prophet, “tie thy camel, and trust it to God!”
