Pipe Organ Database

a project of the organ historical society

W.B.D. Simmons & Co. (1852)

Exhibited in the 1961, 2000 OHS convention(s)

Location:

First Baptist Church
1013 Worcester Road
Framingham, MA 01701 US
Organ ID: 3805

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Status and Condition:

  • This instrument's location type is: Baptist Churches
  • The organ is unaltered from its original state.
  • The organ's condition is playable, but not in usable condition.
We received the most recent update for this instrument's status from Paul R. Marchesano on November 22, 2022.

Technical Details:

  • Chests: Slider
  • 20 ranks. 927 pipes. 3 divisions. 2 manuals. 20 stops. 18 registers.
All:
  • Chest Type(s): Slider chests
  • Position: In a gallery-level case at the rear of the room.
We received the most recent update for this division from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Main:
  • Manuals: 2
  • Divisions: 3
  • Stops: 20
  • Registers: 18
  • Position: Keydesk attached, manuals set into case.
  • Manual Compass: 56
  • Pedal Compass: 27
  • Key Action: Mechanical connection from key to chest (tracker, sticker or mix).
  • Stop Action: Mechanical connection between stop control and chest.
  • Console Style: Traditional style with a removable panel in front of keyboards.
  • Stop Controls: Drawknobs in vertical rows on flat jambs.
  • Combination Action: No combination action.
  • Swell Control Type: Trigger/hitch-down swell.
  • Pedalboard Type: Flat straight pedalboard.
We received the most recent update for this console from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Stephen A St. Denis on June 21, 2021:

The 1852 W.B.D. Simmons organ in the First Baptist Church in Framingham, Ma was awarded OHS Historic Organ Citation, number 261, on 8-23-2000. The organ is intact but is not in good playing condition as of 6-2021. The organ is not used for church services at this time.

We received the most recent update for this note from Stephen A St. Denis on June 21, 2021.
Database Manager on May 07, 2018:
We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Database Manager on September 07, 2008:

Updated through on-line information from James R. Stettner. -- The organ is free-standing and encased in the rear gallery in a case which is painted white. The manuals are fully recessed inside the case with a sliding door which rises-up behind the impost to expose the manuals. The facade contains 23 pipes - 17 of which are from the Great [8'] Open Diapason (DD-F#); and 5 are from the Great [4'] Principal. One is a dummy. The Great [8'] Clarabella is grooved to the [8'] St. Diap. Treble for its tenor octave. The Great [8'] Trumpet was replaced at an undocumented time and by an undocumented person or firm with an early 20th century spotted metal 8' Salicional. The Swell, while playing from a 56-note manual, is short-compass: 39 notes from tenor F. - with only one, unexpressive bass stop: [8'] St. Diapason Bass. While the Pedal compass is 27-notes, the actual 16' Subbass has only 13 pipes. An electric blower was provided in 1912. Sources: church history; extant organ documented April 1988.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Database Manager on October 30, 2004:

Status Note: There 2000.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Source not recorded: Open In New Tab Stoplist copied from the console April, 1988
We received the most recent update for this stoplist from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.

Instrument Images:

Organ Case: Photograph by William T. Van Pelt. Taken on 1999-05-04

Builder's Nameplate: Photograph by William T. Van Pelt. Taken on 1999-05-04

Organ in the rear gallery.: Photograph by Stephen St. Denis. Taken on 2021-06-20

Console: Photograph by Stephen St. Denis. Taken on 2021-06-20

Organ façade : Photograph by Stephen St. Denis. Taken on 2021-06-20

Church Interior: Photograph by Stephen St. Denis. Taken on 2021-06-20

OHS Historic Organ Citation : Photograph by Stephen St. Denis. Taken on 2021-06-20

Church Exterior. : Photograph by Stephen St. Denis. Taken on 2021-06-17

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