Irvington Theatre
Portland, OR
Opus 2277
This Estey organ was
built for the Irvington Theatre located at 1337 NE Broadway in
Portland, OR.
It was a II-manual, 10-rank organ, and according the the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ by David Junchen, it cost $10,036.00 and had a luminous push-button console. It was evidently broken-up for parts in the 1930's.
Of the Irvington Theatre, The Oregon Historical Society website states:
In 1938, Balcom and Vaughan
of Seattle utilized the Open Diapason, Stopped Flute, Salicional, and
Dulciana from this instrument, and built a 4-rank unit organ for St.
Luke's Episcopal Church in Wenatchee, WA. as their opus 278.
In 1970, it was again rebuilt by Balcom and Vaughan as their opus 278-A. An all new, exposed Great of Stinkens pipework was added, though the Dulciana was retained on the Great but enclosed with the Swell pipework. The Swell retained the Estey Open Diapason, Stopped Flute, and Salicional. A tenor c 8' Voix Celeste and a 16'/8' Oboe unit were added to the Swell.
The rest of the Estey pipework and perhaps chests were installed in the Burien, WA. residence of T. Hollister Sprague
by Balcom and Vaughan to create a conglomerate organ. It contained Estey and Robert Morton pipes, and
a mammoth, III-manual, Kilgen theatre organ console.
The Estey console was rebuilt with stoptablets rather than retaining the original luminous push-buttons,
and was installed in the Seattle residence of Balcom and Vaughan founder C.M. "Sandy" Balcom. It was later given to University Methodist Temple in Seattle and installed in their chapel. It served there until 2001 when it was given to the
Pipe Organ Foundation - a non-profit corporation founded by Dr. Carl Dodrill on Mercer Island, WA. - which is
dedicated to finding homes for unused and abandoned pipe organs. The organ was refurbished and
augmented in the foundations' shop, and then moved to Covenant Presbyterian Church in Issaquah, WA.
It was a II-manual, 10-rank organ, and according the the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ by David Junchen, it cost $10,036.00 and had a luminous push-button console. It was evidently broken-up for parts in the 1930's.
Of the Irvington Theatre, The Oregon Historical Society website states:
"The
Irvington Theatre was the primary movie house in the Irvington
neighborhood for 65 years.
Opening in 1925, the theater had 640 seats. After the Lloyd Center multiplex opened in 1986, ticket sales
and attendance at the Irvington gradually dropped off. In 1990 the theater closed its doors to the public.
The building was remodeled and converted into retail space; today it is the home of Al Yall's BBQ restaurant.
A replica of the Irvington marquee rises over Northeast Broadway, a reminder of the days when devoted
residents of the Irvington neighborhood frequented the theater."
Opening in 1925, the theater had 640 seats. After the Lloyd Center multiplex opened in 1986, ticket sales
and attendance at the Irvington gradually dropped off. In 1990 the theater closed its doors to the public.
The building was remodeled and converted into retail space; today it is the home of Al Yall's BBQ restaurant.
A replica of the Irvington marquee rises over Northeast Broadway, a reminder of the days when devoted
residents of the Irvington neighborhood frequented the theater."
In 1970, it was again rebuilt by Balcom and Vaughan as their opus 278-A. An all new, exposed Great of Stinkens pipework was added, though the Dulciana was retained on the Great but enclosed with the Swell pipework. The Swell retained the Estey Open Diapason, Stopped Flute, and Salicional. A tenor c 8' Voix Celeste and a 16'/8' Oboe unit were added to the Swell.
The rest of the Estey pipework and perhaps chests were installed in the Burien, WA. residence of T. Hollister Sprague
by Balcom and Vaughan to create a conglomerate organ. It contained Estey and Robert Morton pipes, and
a mammoth, III-manual, Kilgen theatre organ console.
The Estey console was rebuilt with stoptablets rather than retaining the original luminous push-buttons,
and was installed in the Seattle residence of Balcom and Vaughan founder C.M. "Sandy" Balcom. It was later given to University Methodist Temple in Seattle and installed in their chapel. It served there until 2001 when it was given to the
Pipe Organ Foundation - a non-profit corporation founded by Dr. Carl Dodrill on Mercer Island, WA. - which is
dedicated to finding homes for unused and abandoned pipe organs. The organ was refurbished and
augmented in the foundations' shop, and then moved to Covenant Presbyterian Church in Issaquah, WA.
Sources
Estey opus list
Balcom and Vaughan opus list
PSTOS website
Extant pipework
James R. Stettner
Balcom and Vaughan opus list
PSTOS website
Extant pipework
James R. Stettner