Village Organ and Clock Museum

Call Directions

Village Organ and Clock Museum The Rappahannock Organ Company in conjunction with the Burnt Chimneys historic estate proudly presents the Village Organ and Clock Museum.

2026 Reed Organ Society GatheringVillage Organ and Clock Museum curators Dennis Stephens and David Brannan recently atte...
09/27/2026

2026 Reed Organ Society Gathering

Village Organ and Clock Museum curators Dennis Stephens and David Brannan recently attended the Reed Organ Society’s 2026 gathering in Hayesville, North Carolina. The convention ran from Thursday, September 10th, through Sunday, September 13th. Held every other year, ROS gatherings welcome attendees from the United States, Canada, and other countries.

The theme of the convention was “Southern Hospitality” and was hosted by Jerry Taylor with the help of Dr. Brooke Martin. The Hinton Rural Life Center, in Hayesville provided the perfect setting for an early fall retreat.

Several of the seminars and events that really stood out, were an exhibition of reed organs at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, a tour of “The Organ Loft” which was Jerry Taylor’s personal collection of reed organs, a presentation entitled “Beyond the Bellows” by Rodney Jantzi, a presentation entitled “New Music for an Old Instrument” presented by UGA students, and an Appalachian Arts Experience presented by members of the John C. Campbell Folk School.

We are excited to announce that The Village Organ and Clock Museum will be hosting the 2028 Reed Organ Society Gathering from October 12th through 15th, 2028. More on that to follow. If you are a member of the Reed Organ Society, make plans now to attend. If you are not currently a member of the Reed Organ Society, check out the website at www.reedsoc.org

Enjoy these photos from the 2026 gathering!

A Long Time Coming: The Weaver Chapel Organ RestorationRestoration CompleteOn June 25, 2026, we completed the restoratio...
08/26/2026

A Long Time Coming: The Weaver Chapel Organ Restoration
Restoration Complete

On June 25, 2026, we completed the restoration of the Weaver Chapel organ, a project that began in April 2026.

Organ Case Restoration
Work began with the restoration of the organ case and keyboard. This was a challenging task, as the organ had spent many years in a coal-heated church and was covered with a layer of coal soot.
After the organ was emptied, the case was disassembled and stripped. Repairs were made, including replacing missing pieces and re-gluing damaged components. The stripped parts were then polished with steel wool and finished with an orange shellac coating.

Bellows Restoration
The bellows were disassembled, cleaned, rehinged, and recovered with new bellows cloth. They were then repainted with a fresh coat of black paint, and new leather valves were installed.

Keyboard Restoration
The keyboard was completely disassembled, and the guide pins were cleaned. The keys were washed with ammonia (NH₄OH) and wiped clean with water. Once dry, missing and worn bushings were replaced.
The celluloid natural keys were polished on a buffing wheel, and the sharp keys were refinished with lacquer.

Stop Action Restoration
The stop action was fully disassembled and cleaned. Because much of the black finish on the stop rail was missing, it was stripped and refinished with lacquer. All felt stop bushings were replaced, and the stop faces were cleaned and polished.

Vox Humana Restoration
The Vox Humana unit was restored and thoroughly cleaned. The original cardboard fan was found to be salvageable and was retained. All leather gasketing was replaced with new material.

Reassembly and Regulation
Following restoration, the organ was reassembled and regulated where necessary to ensure proper operation.

Acknowledgements
We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this project, including:
• John Provencher
• Kelly Provencher
• David Ambrose
• Fran Ringterink
• David Brannan
• Dennis Stephens
Photos and Videos
The photos below document the final stages of the restoration process. We have also included several videos demonstrating the organ in operation after its restoration.

We appreciate your comments and thank you for following our progress.

Weaver Chapel Organ Restoration WeekendThe Weaver Chapel Organ Restoration ProjectBackgroundThis past weekend, we undert...
04/16/2026

Weaver Chapel Organ Restoration Weekend

The Weaver Chapel Organ Restoration Project

Background
This past weekend, we undertook the restoration of a Weaver Chapel organ that had been displayed in our hall. Built around 1905 by the Weaver Organ & Piano Company of York, Pennsylvania, this instrument is pitched at A-454, lending it a distinctively bright Baroque tone.

Purpose of Restoration
The restoration work is being carried out in anticipation of our grand opening scheduled for July 1st.

Restoration Efforts
We were grateful to receive help from John and Kelly Provencher, who traveled from Northwestern Pennsylvania to assist us. Over four demanding days, we focused on disassembling the organ and carefully cleaning the action, keys, reeds, and tuning each reed. We extend our sincere thanks to John and Kelly for their dedication and hard work!

Work Remaining
Our next steps involve restoring the organ case, the stop action, and the bellows, followed by the reassembly of the instrument. These tasks must be completed before the organ is fully restored.

Looking Ahead
Stay tuned for further progress updates as we continue this restoration journey!

Address

68 Gibeon Road
Callao, VA

Telephone

+18045299999

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Village Organ and Clock Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category