The cultural life of the city of Winona was supported by the establishment of the  Winona Opera House and Philharmonic Hall. These buildings were the sites of many locally produced plays and theatrical performances. They were also used for performances by famous  visiting artists, lecturers, and musicians who were brought to Winona by O. F. Burlingame,  the astute Impresario of the Winona Opera House. Among the prominent artists he brought to  Winona were: Lillian Russell, Sarah Bernhardt, John Philip Sousa, Helena Modjewska, John Barrymore, Eva Tanguey, and Harry Lauder. Victoria Woodhull, a spokeswoman for Women's Rights and candidate for the presidency in the 1870's spoke on Women's Suffrage and Female independence to a packed Philharmonic Hall in February 1874. A dispatch to the St. Paul Pioneer described the large and enthusiastic audience which responded to her address with frequent demonstrations of applause. Her address on women's suffrage "evoked decided demonstrations of approval". A local newspaperman described her as, "an irreverent, perambulating, female termagant capable of creating more mischief in a given length of time than a state legislature can possibly enact in sixty days." \

http://www.rschooltoday.com/demographics/FeelingEra.html

The attached PDFs, announcements of the show were provided courtesy: Samantha TerBeest
Adult Services Librarian
Winona Public Library

Twenty-sixth annual convention, Minnesota State Federation of Labor at the Philharmonic Hall, Winona.
Link to image courtesy Jenny McElroy, Minnesota Historical Society