• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Buzard Pipe Organ Builders

Buzard Pipe Organ Builders

Committed to building the best pipe organs in the world.

  • About Us
    • The Buzard Sound
    • Our Philosophy
    • Our History
    • Our People
  • Our Instruments
    • Explore Our Instruments
    • The Buzard Collection
    • Service & Restoration Projects
    • Current Projects
  • Service & Restoration
    • Service & Restoration
    • Tuning & Maintenance
    • Restoration
    • Rebuilding & Tonal Enhancements
    • Consoles
    • Relocation
    • Consultation Services
    • For Sale
  • Contact
Our Instruments > Service Department Projects > Relocation > St. John Baptist Episcopal Chapel

St. John Baptist Episcopal Chapel

St. John Baptist Episcopal Chapel

Elkhart, Illinois

1891 Hook & Hastings, Opus 1481

This is an absolutely first-class instrument, built in 1891 as the Opus 1481 of the preeminent Boston firm of Hook & Hastings. Its playing mechanism is still working well after over a century of service, which has included the instrument’s relocation from its original location at the front of the chapel.

Unfortunately, a 1980’s overhaul of the instrument may have been well­-intentioned, but was exceedingly ill-informed. The original wind system was discarded, leaving instead of the original double-rise reservoir a home-made concoction of entirely inadequate capacity and exceptionally poor design.

  • Elkhart, Illinois
  • Elkhart, Illinois
  • Elkhart, Illinois
  • Elkhart, Illinois
  • Elkhart, Illinois
  • Elkhart, Illinois

As a first-step towards a proper restoration of the instrument, a double-rise reservoir was constructed, using dimensions and details garnered from another single-manual Hook & Hastings organ built within the same decade as this instrument.

Future restoration work will include returning the organ to its original specification, for which surplus Hook & Hastings pipework has been acquired by Buzard for this purpose.

Filed Under: Relocation, Restoration, Service Department Projects

Footer

112 West Hill Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Tel: 217-352-1955

About Buzard
Contact

Site by Neon Moth | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2025 Buzard Organs