Henry Ford Mansion
Dearborn, MI
Opus 1318
|
Great |
Swell |
Echo Solo |
Pedal Couplers |
3 Manual
Console
116 note Automatic
Player
William Haskell & Henry
Ford in Brattleboro
The day Henry Ford arrived to see his Estey
The millionaire
wanted the best for his mansion
By BARBARA NAGY
Henry Ford rolled into
Brattleboro on Sept. 24, 1915.
He wanted to see what he believed was one
of the most important
details of a mansion he was building near Detroit.
Ford, the millionaire owner of the Ford Motor Co., had ordered an
elaborate Estey pipe organ for his new home.
Estey workers, who were known as some of the best craftspeople
and inventors in thei ndustry, had been laboring over Ford’s
instrument for more than a year.
Ford was in town to inspect the final product.
details of a mansion he was building near Detroit.
Ford, the millionaire owner of the Ford Motor Co., had ordered an
elaborate Estey pipe organ for his new home.
Estey workers, who were known as some of the best craftspeople
and inventors in thei ndustry, had been laboring over Ford’s
instrument for more than a year.
Ford was in town to inspect the final product.
At that point, the Estey Organ Co. had
been in business in Brattleboro
for 70 years and was about to produce its 400,000th instrument.
Estey supplemented its line of reed organs with its first
pipe organ, in 1901. The company’s first pipe instrument was
installed in the Brattleboro Methodist Church.
for 70 years and was about to produce its 400,000th instrument.
Estey supplemented its line of reed organs with its first
pipe organ, in 1901. The company’s first pipe instrument was
installed in the Brattleboro Methodist Church.
The
original building
Pipe organs became the trend in the
industry and in 1902, the building
now occupied by A.L Root Transportation at the corner of Estey and
Birge streets was built as a hall for assembling and testing the massive
instruments. The finished product could weigh more than ton.
Estey organs were known for their quality, and the company’s sales
catalogs were filled with testimonials from professional and amateur
musicians. The instruments were shipped around the world.
“Just as good as an Estey” — an indication that the company set
the standards for the Industry — became the sales pitch for sellers
of lesser known instruments.
now occupied by A.L Root Transportation at the corner of Estey and
Birge streets was built as a hall for assembling and testing the massive
instruments. The finished product could weigh more than ton.
Estey organs were known for their quality, and the company’s sales
catalogs were filled with testimonials from professional and amateur
musicians. The instruments were shipped around the world.
“Just as good as an Estey” — an indication that the company set
the standards for the Industry — became the sales pitch for sellers
of lesser known instruments.
One of the Estey Co.’s selling points was
the affordability of its
instrunents, which ranged from small “cottage” organs meant to
be heard in farmhouses, to mammoth pipe organs meant to be
heard in the largest cathederal--or Henry Ford's mansion.
Ford arrived at the Estey factory the evening of Sept. 24, 1915,
with plans to take a train from Brattleboro to New York a few hours
later, but he became so engrossed with the factory and his new
organ that he stayed with the workers until after midnight and missed his train.
“His tarry was not caused by criticism of the organ but by a continuing
and increasing interest,” according to a front page Reformer story the next day.
instrunents, which ranged from small “cottage” organs meant to
be heard in farmhouses, to mammoth pipe organs meant to be
heard in the largest cathederal--or Henry Ford's mansion.
Ford arrived at the Estey factory the evening of Sept. 24, 1915,
with plans to take a train from Brattleboro to New York a few hours
later, but he became so engrossed with the factory and his new
organ that he stayed with the workers until after midnight and missed his train.
“His tarry was not caused by criticism of the organ but by a continuing
and increasing interest,” according to a front page Reformer story the next day.
Ford talked with workers, inspected and
undoubtedly played his
new instrument, and apparently became fascinated by what he
learned about how organs were made and tested at the factory.
He stayed in town that night and left by car the next morning to
catch a train in Troy, N.Y., for Detroit.
new instrument, and apparently became fascinated by what he
learned about how organs were made and tested at the factory.
He stayed in town that night and left by car the next morning to
catch a train in Troy, N.Y., for Detroit.
A
previous visit
It was not the first time the automaker
came to Brattleboro.
He visited the organ factory in May 1914, staying overnight at the
Brooks House, to see if he would entrust the Estey Co. with the
plans for his his instrument. Ford apparently visited other organ
factories around the United States at the same time.
He informed the company in August 1914 that he wanted his organ
to be made in Brattleboro. An Estey representative was dispatched
to Detroit to inspect the plans for the house and draw up specifications
for the organ. The instrument had to blend in with the furnishings
and decor of the mansion.
The components of Ford’s organ were to be located in different rooms
of the mansion, with a movable electric console the only evidence that
the instrument even existed. It did not have a case.
The organ had 50 stops, the latest automatic playing mechanism,
a concert harp and cathedral chimes.
He visited the organ factory in May 1914, staying overnight at the
Brooks House, to see if he would entrust the Estey Co. with the
plans for his his instrument. Ford apparently visited other organ
factories around the United States at the same time.
He informed the company in August 1914 that he wanted his organ
to be made in Brattleboro. An Estey representative was dispatched
to Detroit to inspect the plans for the house and draw up specifications
for the organ. The instrument had to blend in with the furnishings
and decor of the mansion.
The components of Ford’s organ were to be located in different rooms
of the mansion, with a movable electric console the only evidence that
the instrument even existed. It did not have a case.
The organ had 50 stops, the latest automatic playing mechanism,
a concert harp and cathedral chimes.
Taking
pride
The company was as proud of the organ as
Ford. After the millionare
left town on his second visit, the public was invited to a three-hour open
house to view and listen to the instrument being played by a Boston musician.
The organ was then crated and, sent to Michigan, where Ford raved
about it to the mechanics who installed it in his home. A few months later,
Ford wrote to the Estey Co. to ask for a list of the company’s employees
and their addresses — several hundred at the time.
When workers went home for dinner on March 8, 1916, they found
checks from Ford in their mail.
“To state that they were surprised is to state the truth only mildly,”
according to the Reformer of the time.
All employees, even those who hadn’t had anything to do with Ford’s organ,
got checks. Most were for $5 to $12, but some apparently were for larger amounts.
Each check was accompanied by a letter of appreciation written by Ford’s
secretary. The letters, according to the Reformer, said that Ford was more
delighted with the organ than with any other part of his new home.
left town on his second visit, the public was invited to a three-hour open
house to view and listen to the instrument being played by a Boston musician.
The organ was then crated and, sent to Michigan, where Ford raved
about it to the mechanics who installed it in his home. A few months later,
Ford wrote to the Estey Co. to ask for a list of the company’s employees
and their addresses — several hundred at the time.
When workers went home for dinner on March 8, 1916, they found
checks from Ford in their mail.
“To state that they were surprised is to state the truth only mildly,”
according to the Reformer of the time.
All employees, even those who hadn’t had anything to do with Ford’s organ,
got checks. Most were for $5 to $12, but some apparently were for larger amounts.
Each check was accompanied by a letter of appreciation written by Ford’s
secretary. The letters, according to the Reformer, said that Ford was more
delighted with the organ than with any other part of his new home.
“Every time Mr. Ford heard the beautiful
tones of the instrument he
realized that the best efforts of the Estey employees were put into it”
the letter informed the workers, according to the Reformer. The employees
responded by meeting two days later and appointing a committee to
draft a letter of appredation. It was written and mailed to Ford the same day.
Appropriately enough, the meeting ended with three cheers for Ford,
three cheers for William Haskell, superintendent of the pipe organ
department, and three cheers for Frank Brasor, general superintendent of the plant.
realized that the best efforts of the Estey employees were put into it”
the letter informed the workers, according to the Reformer. The employees
responded by meeting two days later and appointing a committee to
draft a letter of appredation. It was written and mailed to Ford the same day.
Appropriately enough, the meeting ended with three cheers for Ford,
three cheers for William Haskell, superintendent of the pipe organ
department, and three cheers for Frank Brasor, general superintendent of the plant.
Brattleboro Reformer, August 27,
1984
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