News

A set of four spectacular navigable panoramic images of the Boardwalk Hall organs and their respective acoustic spaces has been added to the Gallery section of our website.

Press Release -- June 11, 2007

The Historic Organ Restoration Committee, Inc has announced the appointment of Carl Loeser, a New Jersey native from Plainfield, as the new Curator of the pipe organs in Boardwalk Hall (The Atlantic City Convention Hall) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He brings a variety of expertise to the position, having worked in the pipe organ field for 30 years. His responsibilities will be to oversee the restoration of the 7-manual, 449-rank Midmer-Losh pipe organ in the main auditorium, along with the 4-manual, 55-rank Kimball pipe organ in the Ballroom.

Press Release -- December 14, 2006

A “Save America's Treasures” Grant of $100,000 Has Been Awarded to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to Support Restoration of the Midmer-Losh Pipe Organ in Boardwalk Hall

The historically significant Midmer-Losh pipe organ in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall (formerly Convention Hall) under the auspices of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, has received one of the nation's most prestigious awards. A "Save America's Treasures" grant of $100,000 has been awarded in recognition of the world's largest pipe organ and the present ongoing mission to restore it to its former glory.

DVD Video

A new DVD video is now available. It details the history of the Midmer-Losh organ and has a variety of special features, plus interviews with former hall organists and others, including remarkable new videos taken inside the Stage Chambers. A collage of the historic Fred Hess & Son photographs is set to music. Here are the Sights, Sounds and Stories about the World's Largest Musical Instrument.

View trailer: QuickTime | RealVideo

The DVD is available online in the Store section on this website or it may be ordered directly from the Organ Historical Society.

Historic Citations

On October 26, 2004, the Organ Historical Society presented two Historic Citations, one for each pipe organ in Boardwalk Hall during a formal ceremony held on the stage in the Main Auditorium. Members of ACCHOS and the Historic Organ Restoration Committee were present and the general public was also invited. The event was videotaped and portions appear on the new ACCHOS DVD.

The Historic Organ Restoration Committee, Inc.

The Historic Organ Restoration Committee, Inc. has been established in New Jersey as a non-profit organization to oversee the funding and restoration of the pipe organs in Boardwalk Hall. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority has established a special account with $1.17 million available to begin the process. "The Board of Directors of ACCHOS have recommended dividing the initial funds between full restoration of the Ballroom Kimball and returning the Right Stage Chamber of the Midmer-Losh to the playable condition existing in 1998 prior to hall renovation."

New Musical Selections Added To Website

Several new music clips have been added to the Gallery section of the website, including a rare practice session with Barbara Fesmire and Lowell Ayers. Barbara Fesmire was the resident organist at Boardwalk Hall in the 70s. There is also a video clip of Timothy Hoag playing the Midmer-Losh organ.

Rave Reviews For The New CD Recording of Boardwalk Pipes and Bach On The Biggest

The recent digital transfer to CD of Robert Elmore's 1956 recordings on Mercury Records is being very well received. Both Theatre Organ and The American Organist magazines gave full-page reviews of these historic recordings.

New Book

Stephen Smith's book, ATLANTIC CITY'S MUSICAL MASTERPIECE, about the Midmer-Losh organ in the Atlantic City Boardwalk Convention Hall is now in print. After 20 years of research, he provides an astonishing and comprehensive guide to the world's largest pipe organ. There are over 300 photographs, diagrams, and tables including a master stop list, along with biographies of more than three dozen individuals.

The previously published book of photographs, THE ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION HALL ORGAN — A Pictorial Essay about the World's Largest Pipe Organ, is also available and contains 94 8"x10" black and white photographs taken during the construction of the organ from 1929 to 1932.

Also available is the 1998 demonstration CD recording THE AUDITORIUM ORGAN at $15.

Please go to the Store on this website for detailed information and to order these items.

The Atlantic City Convention Hall Gets a New Name

Known as the Atlantic City Convention Hall since its construction in 1926, this venerable building is now officially called BOARDWALK HALL – although the organs still bear plates saying "Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ".