L. W. Barnhart
1959

Updated through online information from Brett Miller. -- This instrument was installed in the auditorium of the L.L. Loar Family Memorial Music Building, which was dedicated in 1953; while the building and the auditorium are still in use, the organ is entirely inoperable and portions of the instrument (including the console) have been removed. The organ was located high above the rear of the auditorium stage with two expression chambers (swell and solo) flanking a central section of exposed pipes.

According to college newspaper accounts, the specification was designed by Robert Shafer, professor of organ at West Virginia Wesleyan, with half of the pipework coming from a Hillgreen, Lane, & Co. organ (likely Op. 490 - 1919) that had been installed in the third floor recital hall of the college's original 1902 music building.
The rest of the pipework, along with the console, were provided by the M.P. Möller Company and the whole instrument was installed by L.W. Barnhart of Parkersburg, West Virginia.
The dedication recital was given by Dr. Marshall Bidell, organist and music director of the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, PA, on October 14, 1959.

This entry describes an original installation of a new pipe organ.
Identified by Brett Miller, based on personal knowledge of the organ.
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