When the theater was on summer circuit, fashionable folk streamed from Washington and Baltimore to dine at Clara May Downey's Olney Inn and attend performances such as Helen Hayes in "Alice-Sit-by-the-Fire." The show debuted her daughter Mary MacArthur, above, who Miss Hayes helps prepare for the stage while son Jamie looks on.

"Broadway-bound Musical Stops Off at Olney," read the headline announcing the 1951 showing of Oscar Hammerstein's "Music in the Air." Here Hammerstein discusses the production with star Lillian Murphy. He personally directed the Olney revival of "Music," which featured his lyrics and music by Jerome Kern.