Estey Organ Museum

ESTEY ORGAN MUSEUM POWERS ON

EOM To Start In Engine Room

Brattleboro, VT USA August 20, 2002 -- The Estey Organ Museum has found a starter home in the former Engine Room of the original Estey Organ Company buildings on Birge Street in Brattleboro. For the first time since the factory closed over 40 years ago, Estey-related business and activities have returned to the site.

Click image for a larger view.

Estey is reputed to have been the world's largest manufacturer of reed organs—half a million were made— and built over 3,000 pipe organs.

The museum has entered into a rental agreement with the building's owner, Barbara George, to use the space for storage of organs, Estey artifacts, tools, printed material and other museum donations. The museum hopes to be able to have meetings and occasional special events once the building is improved. "Our plan is to clean up the space, do some restorative repairs, and begin creating a museum," says Christopher Grotke, vice president of the Estey Organ Museum. "We felt that the Engine Room, the heartbeat of the old factory, is a very appropriate place to get started."

The Engine Room was located near the center of the Estey factory complex. In its day, large steam engines in the room were connected to other factory buildings by drive shafts. The shafts were then connected to machinery by large belts, providing power to the saws, drills, lathes, and other tools used to make organs. The steam engines were improved with a dynamo in the early 1900's, allowing the steam power to be converted into electric energy for use in the factory buildings.

The brick building is approximately 30 x 45 feet with a high ceiling and large windows. The museum is looking for skilled carpenters, electricians, masons, and other volunteers interested in working on this community project.

You can find out more about the Estey Organ Museum by visiting its website at www.esteyorganmuseum.org.

For further information, interviews, or screenshots, please contact Christopher Grotke.

The Estey Organ Museum was founded in 2002 as a non-profit organization to celebrate the heritage of Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, Vermont by the collection, restoration, display and performance of Estey and other organs; by the preservation, research, interpretation and dissemination of historical information about the company, its products and manufacturing practices, its owners, employees, markets, customers and competitors, and its effect in the context of Brattleboro and American history over time; and by the creation of a museum in which the aforementioned activities may occur.

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