Estey Organ Museum

ESTEY DAY PIPE ORGAN TOUR
Estey Organ Museum To Provide Glimpse of Rarely Seen Local Organs

Brattleboro, VT, USA, Sept 15, 2003 --The Estey Organ Museum and American Guild of Organists, Vermont Chapter are pleased to co-sponsor Estey Day 2003, a Tour of Estey Pipe Organs in Brattleboro. The tour is scheduled for Sunday, September 21, 2003 at 1:30 pm. It is free and open to the public.

The Estey Day tour of pipe organs offers a rare opportunity to see and hear the pipe organs built by the Estey Organ Company as they are installed in the downtown Brattleboro area.

Leading the tour is E.A. Boadway, President of the AGO, VT and long time Estey enthusiast and authority. The music director for the tour is Philip Stimmel, AGO, VT Artist of the Year 2002. Both will be on hand to provide interesting insights into each organ's installation and, in most cases, allow the public to hear these instruments. For fans of Brattleboro history as well as music lovers, this will prove to be quite an interesting and informative day.

The tour starts at First United Methodist Church, Putney Road, Brattleboro. Coming from the south on I-91, take Exit 2, then take Route 9/Western Avenue east to downtown Brattleboro intersection of High Street with Main Street/Route 5. Turn left/north and go about 2 miles. Methodist Church is on right shortly after crossing West River bridge. The driveway is across Putney Road from Shell Station.

If you are coming from the north on I-91, take Exit 3 and turn right/south on Route 5. Go past 3 traffic lights, and First United Methodist Church is on left/east.

Below you will find the complete schedule. If you cannot visit all of the sites for any reason, this information may help you to jump in at any point along the tour. The times are approximate, depending on the size of the tour. Feel free to visit any or all of the locations on the tour:

1:30 Estey Opus 1 (1902) First United Methodist Church, Putney Road
Leaving the Methodist Church, turn left/south on Putney Road and proceed to Elks Lodge located on left/east across from Brattleboro Common. This is a tricky left turn in face of fast oncoming northbound Putney Road traffic. A safer and easier approach is to follow Route 5 south bearing right past the Common and then bearing left onto Linden Street and continue bearing left around Wells Fountain park back onto Putney Road/Route 5 North. At top of hill just past Mobil station and Terrace Street turn right into parking area between Elks and Christian Science Church.

2:15 Estey Opus 1129 (1913) Elks Lodge, 17 Putney Road, formerly home of Julius Harry Estey (1874-1920), a grandson of founder Jacob Estey

2:30 Estey Opus 3068 (1936, modified 199?) First Church of Christ, Scientist, Putney Road Leaving from Elks parking lot to Putney Road is also tricky, and therefore we will take a shortcut through neighboring Gathering Place parking lot to Terrace Street. Turn left/east on Terrace Street and follow Terrace as it curves right down hill to Walnut Street where St. Michael's Church is on left and School on right.

Park in St. Michael's School parking lot, and cars may be left here because remainder of tour is only a short walk down Main Street.

3:15 Estey Opus 735 (1909, modified 1975) St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, 20 Walnut Street
Walking from St. Michael's Church on Walnut Street, turn left/west to Main Street; turn left/south on Main Street a short distance and cross Main in front of Brooks Library.

4:00 Estey Opus 3165 (1948) Omega Optical, formerly All Souls Church, Unitarian, 210 Main Street
The former All Souls church building is now owned by Omega Optical, a manufacturing concern which occupies the sanctuary with office desks and file cabinets making the organ unreachable, so this will be a brief but intriguing walk through.

4:15 Estey Opus 850 (1911) Brattleboro Masonic Center, 196 Main Street

4:45 Estey Opus 300 (1906) First Baptist Church, 190 Main Street
This was the Estey family church, and Opus 300 is the family memorial to Julius J. Estey, son of founder Jacob and Desdemona, and company president 1890-1902.

Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the tour at First Baptist Church. The Estey Organ Museum, 108 (rear) Birge Street, will be open from 11am on Sunday, Sept 21st --- info available at 802-258-2363.

The Estey Organ Museum is otherwise open Saturdays and Sundays through Columbus Day from 1 to 5 pm and is located at 108 (Rear) Birge Street in Brattleboro. Admission is $2, and free for members of the museum.

-30-

For further information, interviews, or photos, 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. The museum will collect, restore, display and feature performances of Estey and other organs. The museum is also dedicated to 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.

About • News & Info • Membership • Exhibits • Donations

Organs • Links • Contact Us