Long-dormant N.J. pipe organ revived for Miss America

The Miss America pageant won’t be the only attraction making a return in Atlantic City next week.

The pipe organ in Boardwalk Hall, the largest of its type in the world, will play during a 10-minute pre-show for the pageant preliminaries and finals.

The organ hasn’t been played for decades but organist Steven Ball tells The Press of Atlantic City that the instrument is about 30 percent restored.

Built in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the 150-ton organ was damaged by flooding during a 1944 hurricane and later fell into disrepair. A nonprofit is raising funds for a 10-year, $16 million full restoration.

Ball tells the newspaper the first piece he will play will be a John Philip Sousa composition titled “The Atlantic City Pageant March.”