The historic Johnson organ at the First United Methodist Church, Williamstown, will be rededicated after a total restoration Sunday, April 16 at 3 p.m. with a concert featuring organists with close ties to the church.
The celebration also coincides with the 125th anniversary of the organ, which was first heard at the church April 10, 1875.
The restoration, in two phases, cost a total of $15,300 and was done by the Andover Organ Co. of Methuen.
The organ has been recognized as an historical instrument by the Organ Historical Society.
The concert will be followed by a gala reception in the Fellowship Hall.
The renovation was accomplished with gifts by the Washburne family in memory of the Rev. Robert Hoosick Washburne, Dr. Robert Niles Washburne, Raymond Bentley Washburne and Dr. Robert Norman Washburne.
The Rev. Robert H. Washburne was pastor from 1920 to 1923; his sons Robert Niles Washburne and Raymond Bentley Washburne pumped the organ as boys.
“The restoration was only possible through generous donations,†said Hanne Booth, chairman of the music committee who has been closely involved with the project.
Organists playing in the concert Sunday are Dwight D. Killam, Edwin I. Lawrence, Ellen Beebe, Robin Kibler, and Alan E. Carrick.
Keith Kibler, bass-baritone, will be assisting artist. The church organist and choir director is Mary Beth Gowing.
The instrument is Opus 447 by William A. Johnson of Westfield. Over the last half of the 19th century the Johnson Company build more than 800 pipe organs for churches. schools and residences, both in the United States and abroad, earning an international reputation for superior quality of tone and workmanship.
William A. Johnson was entirely self-taught. Early in life, working at his trade as a stonemason, he became inspired by the mechanism and sound of an organ he was helping to install in Westfield’s Methodist Church, and so embarked on a lifetime career.
So high were his standards of taste and craftsmanship that even today Johnson organs are renowned for their excellent workmanship, fine materials and superb voicing.
The Johnson organ in First United Methodist Church, Williamstown, was provided largely through the generosity of Sumner Southworth, one of the principal benefactors of the church. Southworth, an active Methodist layman, was a leading businessman in Williamstown and served two terms as a representative to the Massachusetts General Court.
In 1872, he purchased and gave to the Methodist Society the land on which the building stands. He also donated a large part of its cost and most of the cost of the organ, $1,000. The instrument was first heard in celebration of the Southworths’ 50th wedding anniversary on April 10, 1875.
The organ exists today in virtually its original state, although in 1921 the old hand pump was retired in favor of an electric blower. The pump, however, is still attached and remains functional.
During the summer of 1981, the Andover Organ Co. made extensive repairs to the main and pedal chests of the organ and completely rebuilt the pedal action. Additional repairs were done to the keyboard and action of the manual. The first phase cost $4,900.
In the second phase, completed earlier this year, the pipes were removed, cleaned, leaks repaired, and toe boards and pallet leathers replaced. All pipes were regulated for proper speech and volume. The second phase cost $10,400.
In addition, a new mechanical electric blower was installed last year for an additional $2,500.
The Andover Organ Co. is known for its careful and authentic restoration of historic instruments and has served this one regularly for decades.
The tone of the instrument today is now similar to that that worshippers heard in April, 1875.
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North Adams Water Safe to Drink
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Water Department says all water line breaks have been repaired and water restored to those affected areas.
The boil water order has been lifted by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Residents no longer have to boil water or use bottled water for drinking, making ice, food preparation, brushing teeth or washing dishes.
A partial lift of the Dec. 15 order was issued on Tuesday; as of Thursday, the requirement is no longer in effect for any areas of the city.
The water issues began on Friday after a water main broke in an inaccessible area behind the water treatment plant on Pattison Road. The drop in pressure and frigid temperatures led to breaks on American Legion Drive and by State Road and Biltmore Avenue.
It took all weekend to fix the main, and several more to repair the other breaks. During this time, residents experienced no water or low water pressure.
The Water Department says all repairs have been completed and that samples collected throughout the distribution system were free of total coliform and E. coli bacteria.
For more information, contact the North Adams Water Department at 413-662-3157.
The city has lifted a boil water order — with several exceptions — that was issued late Monday morning following several water line breaks over the weekend. click for more
The bridge had been closed to all vehicle traffic since March 2023 after being deemed structurally deficient by the state Department of Transportation. click for more
The Water Department has been responding to multiple water line breaks throughout the city since Friday, causing temporary loss of water in some areas. click for more
