ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
From: George Brown, December 2004
The Bellevue Pizza and Pipes was closed in 1992 due to road building. This
was the Style 260 from the Academy Of Music Theatre in NYC, which I now own.
Between Bellevue and NYC, the Wurlitzer brass sax disappeared into the
O-Zone. Another sax with brass bells was installed. A posthorn and Estey
Oboe were added to the original 15 ranks.
The organ was sold to Gary Norton, owner of Silverwood Theme (Amusement)
Park in Athol, Idaho, north of Coeur d'Alene. Installation began in early
February 1995, with everything being reinstalled exactly as it came out of
Bellevue. The only major snag encountered was completely unexpected - the
blower which handled the demands of the instrument beautifully in Bellevue
at sea level just couldn't provide enough of the "thinner" air found at an
altitude of 2400 feet! Pipes operating on 10" of air were fine. However,
those requiring 15" were left wanting. A replacement blower was acquired to
solve this difficulty.
The organ was installed in the Ice Palace, half of a large airplane hanger.
An small ice skating floor was located between the console and the chambers,
and the organ was used to accompany ice shows during the summer. The
organist could see the action on the ice. The chambers were hidden behind a
large black drape used as a backdrop for the ice show.
The organ was used daily for ice shows during the 1995, 1996 and 1997
seasons. The park is open only during the summer due to Northern Idaho
winters. Due to cost constraints, the ice show was scaled back and the
organ was not played for the 1998-2002 seasons. Recorded music was used
instead.
In September 2002, I purchased the Wurlitzer with intentions of rebuilding
and installing in my residence. The console was painted a hideous yellow
"baby-doo-doo" color and it has been stripped down to be painted antique
white, and the original pneumatic stoprails replaced by Syndynes. The
specifications have been modernized, with an Opus-Two computer relay
installed. Two of the 15" ranks have been sold, the 16' wood diaphone and
16' tuba. They overpowered the organ even in the airplane hanger and would
certainly do so in a residence. The 15" solo tibia has been retained.
Additional stops have been acquired, including a 10" Wurlitzer Diapason and
10" Wurlitzer Tuba, a Horn Diapason, Wurlitzer Salicional and Celeste and
10" Tibia Clausa.