Stage, historic circle, pews and more removed from building
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The Grand Ole Opry House,
which was heavily damaged from recent flooding, is in the midst of
extensive repairs.
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Mark Humphrey / AP
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By Chris Talbott
updated 9:10
p.m. ET May 13, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The
Grand Ole Opry House has been stripped to its concrete foundation as
workers try to repair damage from flooding about two weeks ago.
The stage, including a
historic 6-foot circle of floorboards from the old Ryman Auditorium
stage, has been removed along with pews that served as seats on the
house floor. That Ryman wood is considered the heart of country music by
some and its status as it sat under 4 feet of water was a big concern
for country music stars and fans.
Grand Ole Opry president Steve Buchanan said Thursday
during a tour with reporters that a few coats of varnish helped the
circle survive, though the rest of the stage was destroyed.
"It's going to need a little attention by a skilled
craftsman, but we expect that it will be ready to go back in place
pretty soon," he said of the circle.
The tour showed a building that was eerily empty and
dark, but already in the midst of extensive repairs. All things touched
by water that couldn't be cleaned have been stripped and every single
artifact, costume, instrument and piece of archival material that wasn't
rescued May 2 when the flood started to creep in has been shipped out
for cleaning, repair or restoration.
Key pieces taken to safety included the fiddle Roy
Acuff played during his first Opry show, the shoes Minnie Pearl wore for
more than 50 years of performances and the steamboat whistle founder
George D. Hay blew to signal the start of shows. Many others were
whisked away even as the water sloshed around the knees of employees.
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The Opry also housed the
personal instruments, costumes and gear of performers and employees and
those are getting attention as well.
Workers have already removed all carpets, drywall up
to the level of the flooding, wood trim damaged by the water and
electrical and technical fixtures. Large, clear plastic tubes snake
through hallways, carrying air into the muggy, odiferous building.
Glass in an entryway
still carried the high-water mark from the flood and a dressing room
vanity with light bulbs intact sat outside the building in huge piles of
soon-to-be discarded furniture, desks, road cabinets and other items
that came from both the Opry House and nearby offices.
It's taken a massive
effort to get that far so quickly and dozens of workers are present at
any time, carrying out various tasks.
"There are times I've come in here and I definitely
felt like it was a small army," Buchanan said.
There are little
reminders everywhere of what the place once looked like.