Vigo County Historical Society

Before television, there was the parlor organ

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, music was important as a part of home entertainment.

A parlor organ like the beautiful organ in the upstairs sitting room of the Vigo County Historical Museum would grace the parlor of a local family. They were less expensive than the pipe organs or pianos and became so popular that the Estey Organ Co. claimed its actual production sometimes exceeded 60 organs a day.

A name still familiar, the W.W. Kimball Co. of Chicago, was one of the leading producers of parlor organs in the Midwest. The first Kimball organs ranged in price from $175 to $435. After dinner and for special occasions the family would gather around and sing the beautiful songs, the slow love ballads and sad songs of the day.

As the years passed the music changed to a more melodious style and the singers were soon harmonizing to tunes like "Down by the Old Mill Stream."

The lovely organ in the upstairs parlor at the museum displays the words "Camp and Company, Chicago." Above the music rack is a small Currier and Ives print, an American Flag is on the left, a Dixie flag is on the right, hand-painted, evidently by a previous owner.

On each side of the music rack are two decals, one with the name Vienna and the date 1873, and the other with the name Paris with the date 1867. If only we could know more about the lives of the previous musical owners.

On the music rack are two music books, the Baldwin New Method for the organ, owned by Rebecca Sullivan of Fontanet before presentation the museum; and the other, Sudds Easy Method for the organ, published by J.A. Marshall, Music Book Publishers, 328 Main Street, Terre Haute.

Marshall, a local business man, supervised offices in Illinois, western Indiana, Louisville and Denver for the D.H. Baldwin Co., maker of pianos and organs. He also operated the Baldwin Music Store in Terre Haute, his son Claudus joining him in the business in 1901.

Their three-story building on Wabash Avenue displayed a large variety of pianos and organs. The third floor was the Music Room where musicians from out of town would entertain local audiences. The J.A. Marshall music store was the hub of the musical society of Terre Haute.

Visit the museum to see these items as well as many more representing the way our families lived before television and telephone.