Chautauqua, NY (USA): Chautauqua Institute

The Chautauqua Institute was founded in 1874 as an educational locale for summer-time use. It was envisioned as an extension of church school education in local churches in the experimental setting of the NY outdoors. Founded by Methodists, it ultimately is utilized by a variety of church denominations. Music was always an important part of the Chautauqua experience and in 1929 an on-site orchestra was founded.

The OHS database has an extensive list of instruments that have been at Chautauqua, the earliest being a Ryder organ from 1881. A letter to patrons states that ice and water damaged the organ console in Winter 2018. The letter mentions the "1907 Massey Memorial Organ." That would seem to delineate the Warren Church Organ instrument in the OHS database of 1907. The Moeller company replaced the console for the 94-rank instrument in 1928 and did a thorough remaking of the instrument in 1972. The most recent substantive work seems to have been done by the Fischer company of Pennsylvania in 1992.

My sepia-toned card has been postally used. The recipient was in Kingston, NY. The postmark is dated 14 August 1919. It was published by the Institute, and was sent using a common Washington type A140. Based on the perforations (11x11), it seems this is from the 1917-1919 printing,  Scott 498

 

Tennent, NJ (USA): Old Tennent Church

 

The Old Tennent Church, or as it's currently known, Old Tennent Presbyterian Church was founded in 1692. Church history marks this as the year the congregation formed and purchased land. A second plot was purchased in 1731 and it was upon this site that the present building was situated. The 1730 date on the card seems to correspond with this later building undertaking, rather than the actual establishment of the congregation. Apparently The Rev. Mr Tennent, second pastor, experienced some sort of religious ecstasy and fell into a trance (according to information on the reverse of the card). He was pastor for this congregation for 43 years and was buried beneath the building. The present website does not mention either of these bits of information. My unused card shows the front of the church with its raised pulpit and organ beside. The building is two storied, and one can see pillars supporting the wrap-around second level of seating in the card. The present building was built in 1751 and restored 1985-1988.  

The Organ Historical Society's database lists two instruments associated with the Tennent Presbyterian Church. The earliest is a Moeller instrument (Opus 86) of one manual from the 1880's. A second installed in 1934, Moeller Opus 6275 of 8 ranks. This is probably the instrument shown in the image below. The organ on my postcard above seems to have a single manual, so it may be the earlier instrument from the 1880's.

Wellesley, MA (USA): Dana Hall

I have been able to find no information about the organ shown on this card. The caption states this is the "living room" at Dana Hall in Wellesley Mass. Dana Hall is a girls' preparatory school. C.B. Dana was a philanthropist of some renown who donated to schools of various stripes. (One of the main buildings at Guilford College, Greensboro, NC, where I graduated, includes a Dana Auditorium.) I was able to find a letter from a key figure of Dana Hall which listed various improvements at the school, including an organ that cost $7000. But I have not been able to find any more details about the instrument itself. No doubt the room has undergone changes over the years, and it's possible the organ is no longer there.

My black-and-white card is used, and was sent to Brooklyn, NY in early 1907. Postage was paid by a common 2c Washington stamp type A129 type II, Scott 319. Various shades of red determine the final version of the stamp at hand; I have not bothered to determine if mine is "carmine rose" or "scarlet."