Manufacture date: Circa 1920

Wurlitzer's largest production model, only five or six were ever made, by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., North Tonawanda, NY and only two complete models of this organ still exist. Originally shipped in 1929 to Spillman Engineering (manufactures of carousels), then it was returned to the factory and reshipped in 1936 to a church. Who apparently really wanted to wake up the congregation!

Charlie Bovey got the 180 from Mr. Cargill of Excelsior Park, Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. It has two-tracker bars so it could play continuously with no delay for rewind. Originally it played Wurlitzer Caliola rolls (APP .rolls); however, currently, it’s been returned to play Wurlitzer 165 band organ rolls.

Only about one-third of the original organ remains, many of the missing pipes having been replaced by Ozzie Wurdeman with pipes from the Wurlitzer Organ originally in the Marlow Theatre in Helena