CRATOS has been the official caretaker of the Paramount Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ since 1969. The City of Cedar Rapids, which owns both the Paramount and the Wurlitzer – a matching set since 1928, and now one of just 36 original installations still in existance – has consistently entrusted CRATOS with the task of ensuring [...]
In the midst of all of the activity over the past many days, we have been fortunate to have a significant amount of media interest in the story of the Paramount, and our Mighty Wurlitzer.
Local, state and national news organizations were onsite to spread the word of the danger the organ was in due to [...]
This coming September 1, 2008, the Paramount Theatre was to have, and we hope still will, celebrate it’s 80th Birthday. From the CRATOS archives comes our concert program history of the organ and theatre, and the text of the original announcement as posted in The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette and Republican:
Opening on Saturday, September 1st, [...]
CRATOS members were summoned to the Paramount Theatre at 11:30am, Wednesday, June 18th at the behest of theatre management. Of concern was, and still is, the stability of the heavily damaged main stage. Based on the June 17th photos by The Gazette, the condition of the console was documented, but the condition of the pipe chambers [...]
We’re keeping this update brief as it’s been a long day. We gained entry into both theatres late today and took detailed photos of both the Paramount’s Wurlitzer and Iowa (TCR’s) Barton.
The Paramount is difficult to look at, the organ console off the lift and on its back and heavily damaged. We’re holding out for [...]
A note from CRATOS President, Darren Ferreter:
I would like to begin by thanking everyone who has taken a moment to send notes of support to CRATOS after the flooding and organ damage that occurred in Cedar Rapids.
Although the water level is dropping, the Cedar River is not anywhere near being within its banks. The [...]
The Cedar River crested at 3:30pm on Friday, June 13, 2008, at roughly 20 ft above flood stage, and nearly 12 feet above the previous record of 20ft set in 1929.As CRATOS watches local news broadcasts we are holding out hope for the pipe chambers in both the Paramount and Iowa Theatres. Based upon news [...]
The Cedar Rapids Paramount theatre and its 3/12 Wurlitzer:
As of 6:20pm Central time conversation with the theatre Management was that sandbags were breached at 7:00 this morning with water pouring in all doors.� It is believed that the water level is a few feet higher than the stage. This means blower, lift, lift motor, cable, [...]
As you may already be aware, Cedar Rapids, IA and the surrounding communities have been ravaged by record setting floods over the past several days.
CRATOS raised the organ console at the Paramount Theatre to its highest level on Wednesday afternoon in anticipation of the flood. On the morning of June 12, 2008, the flood waters [...]
