Salt Lake Tabernacle organ anniversary

The organ of the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah, is marking its 150th anniversary in 2017. The original, not-quite-finished instrument was played publicly for the first time in October 1867 at a general conference of the Mormon Church.

The Church History Museum of Salt Lake City opened an exhibit on the organ’s history May 19 of this year, and the event will continue through April 2018. The exhibit details the organ’s history from its construction in the “pioneer” days by Joseph Ridges and Niels Johnson through the instrument’s various rebuilding projects by W. W. Kimball Co., Austin Organ Company, Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, and the 1980s renovation by Schoenstein & Co. A part of the exhibit is the 1901 W. W. Kimball Co. console; personal items of various Tabernacle organists are also on display.

For information: https://history.lds.org.