Comments from CarltonSmith

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CarltonSmith
CarltonSmith commented about Washington Theater on Sep 4, 2013 at 5:01 pm

The information above on the organ in the Washington Theatre is incorrect! The Washington had a 3/7 Barton organ (1924). The Orpheum Theatre in Quincy had the Wurlitzer, a style B (1924).

CarltonSmith
CarltonSmith commented about Rhode Center for the Arts on Sep 4, 2013 at 10:00 am

Does anyone have any origional photos of the Barton theatre pipe organ console in this theatre? Or any other information about the instrument? I believe I have the console.

CarltonSmith
CarltonSmith commented about Hilbert Circle Theater on Nov 18, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Let me start by correcting some organ history misinformation in a post dated April 3, 2006. The 1916 Hook & Hastings organ was replaced in 1922(not 1925)by a Wurlitzer style 260 (3/15). The Wurlitzer was indeed removed in 1959. However, it was completely parted out. It did not end up in a Pizza Parlor.

It is true that a custom Allen digital organ was installed in the theatre for a one time performance durling the 2001 ATOS Convention.

Fast forward to 2002 when a Wurlitzer style 240 (3/13)was donated to the Central Indiana Chapter of ATOS. This instrument was origionally installed in the Warner Theatre, Youngatown, OH in 1931. It was removed from the Warner Theatre in 1963 by Harold Huffamn of Fairfield, OH. Mr. Huffman never installed the organ anywhere and donated it to CIC-ATOS in 2002. In 2003 a gift was given to the Indianapolis Symphony (ISO) to accquire and install a theatre pipe organ back into the Hilbert Circle Theatre. CIC-ATOS donated the Warner organ to the ISO and shortly there after Carlton Smith Pipe Organ Restorations was contracted by the ISO to restore, augment and install the Wurlitzer. The restoration and installation was complete in late 2009. The new Wurlitzer is now 3 manuals and 24 ranks, plus percussion.