All the Bells and Whistles
As my “regulars” know, this is not a blog devoted to food and fine dining. While I am beyond the mere “fast food joint,” I do not consider myself enough of a connoisseur to evaluate food, its ingredients, preparation or presentation. And this particular blog does not deviate from my intention. For even though today I am blogging about a Restaurant, The Roaring 20’s Pizza and Pipes (Ellenton is near Bradenton FL) I am not blogging because of the food. Rather, I am blogging because their “entertainment” a “Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ.”
Their instrument was originally installed in 1931 in the Paramount Theater in Oakland CA. The theater lasted only a year. The organ was finally “resurrected” in the early 1960’s in a restaurant down the coast near LA. Next it was moved to Indianapolis IN where it also played in a restaurant for a while. Then, there was the chance that it would go to Germany, however, these plans fell through, it was sold again and ended up here in Florida playing for the crowd of “Seniors” who live and visit in the Bradenton/Sarsota area.
The figures concerning this instrument read almost like the specs for a new car:
20 Horsepower Blower, delivering 3,000 cubic feet of air per minute 42 ranks of pipes, 3,000 over all with the largest 16 feet tall; 14 " diameter
26 miles of wiring
350 controls with 278 tabs
31,250 lbs in weight
In short, it is one big, art deco machine!
And the organists concerned know how to play it, all of it, not only the pipes, but all the bells, whistles, horns tweeters, celestas, “birds” etc. It was a lot of fun to listen to Chattanooga Choo Choo, songs from Phantom of the Opera, and other like-minded pieces.
Oh yes, the Pizza, well, I guess it’s okay. But as I said above, this is NOT a food blog.
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