Last Saturday night my wife Lita and I attended the Tacoma Symphony fund raising auction at the convention center in Tacoma. One of the items available was a musical visit to the Wurlitzer Manor and Gardens in Gig Harbor (http://www.wurlitzermanor.com/) We live in Gig Harbor and some how I had never heard of this place or a Wurlitzer organ in our area, so I looked it up on the Internet. I found an article in the Puget Sound Online Pipeline (http://www.pstos.org/instruments/wa/gig-harbor/wurlitzer-manor.htm) which told the story and had a photo of the building where it is located. As soon as I saw the photo of the location I recognized it as a structure we had seen many times from our boat and wondered what in the world it was. A large building with huge floor to ceiling windows on a bluff overlooking the water of the Narrows, it clearly stands out from the water view. It turns out the manor is located on 13 acres and has two guest houses. The manor is a 17,000 square foot structure. It is available for rent.

The article says the manor was built in the 1980's for the 48 pipe Wurlitzer organ that had been in the Brooklyn Fox Theater. It had been installed in the theater in 1928. From there it was moved to a restaurant in Indiana and ended up in the Manor in 1986. The manor and organ was owned by Richard Wilcox. Presently this private residence with property and the organ is owned by Barbara Hammerman and Raymond Lavine. This theater pipe organ is different from a classical one such as those found in churches or auditoriums. The Gig Harbor Wurlitizer is the 7^thlargest theater pipe organ in the world.

I am embarrassed to admit I had no idea this unique manor and pipe organ existed in the area of our home town of Gig Harbor.