Its prized organ has made a triumphant return.
written by ERIN JONES
ON A SATURDAY EVENING IN APRIL, downtown Bluefield stirred with excitement surrounding an unlikely source: Buster Keaton’s 1926 silent film The General. As the movie played, the walls of the historic Granada Theater reverberated with the musical narrations of a 1920s Wurlitzer organ. The occasion represented a homecoming for the instrument, a century after its first installation. The journey represents the spirit of Bluefield, determined to prove that her best days are ahead.
Bluefield, situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has a rich history grounded in coal. Its once-flourishing entertainment scene earned the Mercer County city the nickname “Little New York.” Railway access put Bluefield on the circuits of premiere performing artists of the day—stars like Marian Anderson, Frank Sinatra, and the Three Stooges.
The Granada Theater opened in 1928, initially showing silent films grandly accompanied by organ: the Wurlitzer Opus 1790. However, by the late ’70s, the theater’s light dimmed with that of the surrounding neighborhood. The theater closed, and the organ was sold to a private buyer in Indiana.
Decades passed, but a spark of hope remained. In 2012, the Bluefield Preservation Society, later the Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corporation (BARC), set its sights on restoring the Granada, including the original Wurlitzer organ.
The organ, it turned out, had returned to West Virginia, to the Keith-Albee Theatre in Huntington. The Keith-Albee board agreed to return the organ to the Granada once their own organ was located. And by 2015, the organ was back in Bluefield—but the daunting restoration still required both expertise and funding. Meanwhile, what Granada Restoration Liaison Julie Hurley calls “many little miracles” were beginning to accumulate. Despite a depressed economy, the citizens of Bluefield raised $3.1 million locally for preservation efforts. The American Theatre Organ Society learned of the effort, and its members supported the restoration, too.
The Granada Theater reopened its doors in 2019. “It’s kind of like restoring the heart of the city, because it’s a crucial piece to our history here,” says Program Director and House Manager Tim Smith. The ripple effect on the surrounding neighborhood became apparent as restaurants and businesses began to revitalize the downtown.
And in April 2024, the restored organ was ready for its grand debut with renowned organist Tedde Gibson at the console. The film featured grand chase scenes that showcased the storytelling capabilities of the organ, both through music and sound effects.
“Bringing this back has brought hope to the community,” Smith says, “seeing something that was as beautiful and magnificent as this theater being restored.” Perhaps the revitalization of a town built so much on coal proves that time and pressure can still produce diamonds.
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S WINTER 2024 ISSUE
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