ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Conservation work has begun on the James J. Hill House's historic pipe organ.
Built in 1891, the organ is located in the Summit Avenue home's art gallery. It runs through three stories of the mansion and features more than 1,000 pipes.
"It truly is sort of the heart of the house," said Christine Herbaly, site manager at the James J. Hill House.
According to Herbaly, it's unique to see an organ of this size in a residential home versus a church.
"There was... occasionally an organist in here playing the organ for big parties, for dances, for Mr. Hill's funeral, and for four of the daughters' weddings," said Jessica Sutherland, program supervisor.
Over the decades, many of the instrument's original wood and leather components have deteriorated—resulting in air leakage and sound quality issues.
"So the deterioration had started to grow over the years. But we were playing it up until a couple months ago and at this point we decided it was time to sort of stop playing, get it stable, and to restore it back to concert quality," Herbaly said.
This week, the company Dobson Pipe Organ Builders in Lake City, Iowa is working to disassemble the organ and ship the parts to Iowa.
"We are taking the components that need to be restored back to Iowa. The rest of them will remain here and then we will reassemble it later on in the summer," said Dean Zenor with Dobson Pipe Organ Builders.
The project is estimated to cost $141,000 and was made possible by private donors Martin V. Chorzempa and Dr. George and Joan Fischer.
The organ last underwent large-scale preservation work in 1988.
"We know that it has a large voice and we've never been able to hear that voice in its full capacity. I think for us it will be incredible to hear what it'll sound like when it comes back," Herbaly said.
The project will be complete either in the end of summer or early fall.