PSTOS - Ellensburg Theatre, Ellensburg Washington

Ellensburg Theatre - 2/5 Wurlitzer, Style 170
Ellensburg, Washington
Organ installation timeframe: 1919 - 1932

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The only known picture of the Ellensburg Theatre, October 1915

The Ellensburg Theatre originally opened in the late 1800's as Lloyd's Opera House. In 1901, the Ellensburg Theatre Company was established.

Based on news articles of the time, the Ellensburg Theatre had two different Wurlitzer instruments installed:

1919 - Most likely a photoplayer-type instrument installed in the orchestra pit. See this article from the Ellensburg Daily Record November 4, 1919: Ellensburg Theatre Gets $8,000 Organ. The article humorously describes that "no pipes have been installed because of the structure of the Ellensburg theatre," and that the "largest proportion of pipes built in for organs are imitations, only a few being necessary for the purposes of the organ."

1921 - 2/5 Wurlitzer Style 170, opus #451. This instrument was originally shipped to the San Francisco Wurlitzer store/warehouse in August 1921. See this article from the Ellensburg Daily Record October 18, 1921: Ellensburg Theatre Reopens. The article describes extensive renovations at the theatre including removal of the original opera house box seats on the sides of the auditorium which most likely permitted construction of pipe chambers as described in this article from Ellensburg Daily Record October 21, 1921: Ellensburg Theatre Has Big Opening.

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1928 stage production at the Ellensburg Theatre

Looking at ads from the time, the following organists are listed as playing at the Ellensburg Theatre: Ned Douglas (1921), Tex Frazier "The Cowboy Organist" (1922), Floyd Knuppe (1922), Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dickson (1922), Clara Burch (1922), Bob Werschkul (1923), Lucille Kimmel (1925), Marion Gollerenshaw (1925), Edna Miller (1924,1926), Florenz Carlin (1927), Bob Crawford (brother of Jesse Crawford) (1928), Buss McClelland (1928), Sonny Sangor (also written as "Sonny Sander") (1933).

The theatre later changed its name to Mid-State and operated until 1946. The building was eventually demolished in 1953 and replaced with a parking lot.

Balcom & Vaughan records indicate that in 1932, they moved the organ to Seattle's Playland Amusement Park Skating Rink. However, the theatre was still advertising "Sonny Sangor At the Giant Wurlitzer" in 1933, so this is a serious discrepancy. And Seattle news articles of time definitely show the Playland Rink organ being installed in 1932.

Interestingly, Wurlitzer opus #438, also a Style 170, is found in some Balcom & Vaughan records associated with Playland, but the Judd Walton and Junchen opus lists offer no details about opus #438, other than that it originally went to the Merced Theatre in Merced, CA in 1921.

In 1943, Balcom & Vaughan records indicate that the organ was moved again to the Skateland (Rollerfair) Rink in Everett.

The instrument was later purchased by Ray & Muriel Whelpley of Bellevue, Washington.