Opry preserves flood items

Friday, May 14, 2010 – The Grand Ole Opry Entertainment Complex, flooded early last week in the worst Middle Tennessee floods in more than 100 years, has been the scene of an around-the clock remediation process aimed at ensuring the well-being of Opry archives and collections affected by the flooding.

"The Opry is the heart of country music," said Grand Ole Opry President Steve Buchanan, "so it is not at all surprising that since the flood, people from around the world have been interested in the safety of some of our most treasured items. Next to the safety of our staff, nothing has been more important to us in our work over the last 10 days than taking care of these treasures."

Several key items from the Opry's collection were untouched by the flood, as they were moved to safety in the hours before the complex began to take on water Sun., May 2. Among those items are a copy of the Nashville Banner announcing WSM radio's first broadcast day, the steamboat whistle Opry founder George D. Hay for years blew to signal the beginning of Opry shows, the fiddle Opry patriarch Roy Acuff played during his first Opry performance and a pair of shoes Minnie Pearl, the Queen of Country Comedy, wore during more than 50 years of performances.

The Grand Ole Opry House's signature element, a six-foot circle of oak wood taken from the Ryman Auditorium when the show moved to the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, is also safe. Though it and the rest of the stage were covered by 46 inches of water, the circle appeared to be in "remarkably good condition" according to Buchanan when it was removed from the Opry House to be refurbished and returned to center stage when the facility reopens later this year.

All artifacts that were in the path of flood waters were removed from the complex. "As the caretakers of these items, we understand how valuable they are to our music, our country, and our culture," Buchanan said. "We are working with the very best professionals possible to ensure items are preserved. This will not be a short process, but rather one requiring much patience and meticulousness."

The Chicago Conservation Center has collected numerous other artifacts from the complex to care for in Chicago before returning to Opry caretakers. The Opry's vast video archives have been entrusted to New Jersey company SPECSBROS.

Belfor (Fort Worth, TX) has been enlisted to work with the Opry's extensive decades-rich photo archives. Nashville-based George Gruhn and Joe Glaser will lead a team of luthiers from across the country to work to restore string instruments affected by the flood, including a number from Acuff's personal collection.

Nearly all of the Opry's audio archives were safe above the flood water line inside the Grand Ole Opry House, though some audio items housed in the 650 WSM offices will receive professional attention.

A number of personal items including instruments and clothing belonging to Opry members and staff were also affected by the flood. Many of those items will require restoration, while others have been cataloged and prepped for immediate return to their owners.

A new artifact was created by the flood. An Opry House stage door more than halfway submerged in water became an image of last week's flooding as a photo of it appeared online and in newspapers. Earlier this week, the door was removed from the Opry House and treated such that its water mark will be preserved. "The stage door will no doubt become a historic symbol representing this extraordinary event," Buchanan said.