Bagdad Theatre - 3/8 Wurlitzer, Style F 3M
Seattle, Washington
22nd and Market St.
 
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Ballard Building and Bagdad Theatre, c.1927
 
The Bagdad Theatre was located in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. A 3/8 Wurlitzer instrument, opus #1585 was installed in 1927. The Judd Walton opus list has "Ballard" as the city name. Ballard was eventually annexed into the City of Seattle.
 
The Ballard Building was designed by William R. Grant and built by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Because of this it is sometimes called the Eagles Building. The opening marked the shift of Ballard's commercial area to Market Street.
 
This photo above shows the multi-purpose Ballard Building in 1927. It housed the Bagdad Theater, drug and department stores, and meeting rooms for the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
 

Market street looking East, Bagdad Theatre on left, c. 1940's
 
The Wurlitzer was eventually removed from the theatre and put into storage at the Rollerbowl Rink. It was purchased by organist Ivan Ditmar who had plans to install it in his Hollywood home. Unfortunately, the instrument was lost in a tragic fire at the rink in 1951.
 
As of 2000, the Ballard Building still exists but the last remaining performance space in the building (the Backstage Theatre rock club) closed its doors in the Spring of 1998. The space was later occupied by a fitness center.
 

Ballard Building, c.2000