Palace Hippodrome - 2/4 Wurlitzer, Style 135B
Seattle, Washington
2nd & Spring
Organ installation timeframe: 1920-1930
 
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Palace Hippodrome, c.1930
 
The Palace Hippodrome or "Hip" was one of Seattle's most popular vaudeville theaters. The theater was located at the corner of Second and Spring Streets in downtown Seattle.
 

Downtown Seattle street scene showing Palace Hip signage on right, c.1917
 
The Palace Hip had a Style 135B Wurlitzer, opus #280, installed in 1920. The organ had a "piano" style console with an oak veneer. The lower manual was 88 notes and played pipes and a piano in the console. The upper manual was 61 notes.
 

Performers on the stage, date unknown. Style 135B console visible in pit.
 

According to writing found on the relay, the organ was removed from the theatre on August 10, 1930 by a group that included Paul O'Neal.   Ad from the Seattle Post Intelligencer, c. 1925. --> Why Men Leave Home starting Lewis Stone and Helene Chadwick

 
In 1933, Balcom & Vaughan installed the instrument at the West Seattle Christian Church. The piano mechanism and keyboard were removed and two 61 note manuals installed.
 
The organ remained in the church for 66 years until purchased by Wesley Spore in December 1999. At time of removal, the organ had 5 ranks. The Vox Humana had been removed and a 4' Dulciana was racked in its place. The Trumpet holes on the 4 rank chest held a Diapason of enormous scale and unknown manufacturer. A single rank chest with 8' Trumpet rank and 16' Robert Morton string extension were also added. Parts of the organ went to various individuals in the Puget Sound area. The two swell shade frames, 8' string offset and floor frame went to Tom Blackwell of Seattle. In 2012, Tom sold the swell shades to John Rust of Indiana.
 

The Palace Hippodrome building, turned into a parking garage, seen as it awaits demolition in 1981.