About Our Organ
Origins and Early Growth
Patricia Will, organist at First Unitarian from 1975–2023, shared the dramatic history of the church’s majestic Aeolian-Skinner organ. The console, built in 1918, gained unexpected new life in 1937 when another church canceled its pipe order; philanthropist Sarah Joslyn purchased the unused pipes and donated them to First Unitarian.
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The 1984 Fire
The instrument survived a major scare on June 26, 1984, when a workman’s discarded match ignited dry leaves in the gutter, setting the roof on fire. Photos included here come from a 2013 Pipe Organ Seminar and Demonstration at First Unitarian.​
Rebuilding and Expansion
When the 1984 fire was extinguished, water poured through the Swell division and firefighters, in the rush to contain the blaze, crushed many of the pipes. The entire division was lost. The organ was removed, rebuilt, enlarged, and ultimately reinstalled—now believed by Pat to encompass 52 ranks.
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A New Home for the Console
Pat remembers that when she began playing in 1976, the console sat high in the organ loft, leaving her unsure how the instrument truly sounded in the sanctuary. As part of the post-fire restoration, the console was relocated to the front of the sanctuary, finally giving the organist a clear and accurate sense of the organ’s voice.
How the Organ Works
The organ has three manuals—Swell, Great, and Choir. The Great pipes are the most visible; from the bench, the Swell pipes sit to the left and the Choir pipes to the right. Shuttered chambers control the volume of both Swell and Choir, operated by pedals at the console.
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With abundant presets and 128 memory levels, the organ offers seemingly limitless registration options. A crescendo pedal can gradually layer ranks until the entire chest opens, producing a floor-shaking blast of sound—beloved by some, and
decidedly not by others, especially those sensitive to intense resonance like listeners with tinnitus.
Timeline at a Glance
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1918: Console built
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1937: Additional pipes acquired and donated by Sarah Joslyn
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1984: Fire on June 26 destroys the Swell division
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Post-1984: Organ rebuilt, enlarged to ~52 ranks and Console moved to the front of the sanctuary