Chicago-Midwest Chapter Organ Historical Society

Lake Forest College,
Lily Reid Holt Memorial Chapel

555 North Sheridan Road

Lake Forest, Illinois

The College was founded in 1857 and is located on a beautiful wooded campus very near the shore of Lake Michigan.  This diminutive, gracious chapel of Tudor Gothic influence was built in 1899 and 1900.  The organ is believed to have been built by the Æolian-Votey Company in 1900 as their opus 887. The two-manual instrument is housed in a chamber at the right front of the chancel.  At some point, much of the console interior was replaced by supply house parts.  The organ is largely unused and needs repairs; however, the College administration is aware of the historic nature of this instrument and hopes to raise funds for its eventual restoration.

Specification of 1900 Æolian-Votey Company opus 887:

Great (Manual I, Enclosed with Swell)

8 Open Diapason (unenclosed, 12 basses in façade—61 pipes)
8            Melodia (stopped bass—61 pipes)
8            Dulciana (61 pipes)
4            Flute d’Amour (61 pipes)
8            Chimes (tenor A—20 tubes)
Great to Great 16
Great Unison Separation (tab at upper left)
Great to Great 4
Swell to Great 16
Swell to Great 8
Swell to Great 4

Swell (Manual II—Enclosed)

8            Violin Diapason (61 pipes)
8            Stopped Diapason (61 pipes)
8            Salicional (61 pipes)
4            Flute Harmonique (61 pipes)
8            Oboe (61 pipes)
8            Chimes (from Great, Chimes)
Tremulant
Swell to Swell 16
Swell Unison Separation (tab at upper left)
Swell to Swell 4

Pedal

16            Bourdon (44 pipes)
8            Flute (extension, 16’ Bourdon)
Great to Pedal 8
Swell to Pedal 8
Swell to Pedal 4

Accessories

12 General Pistons (1-8 for thumb, 9-12 for toe) 
General Cancel (thumb)
Combination Adjuster (thumb)
Expression shoe (mechanical)

Information gathered from Pipe Organs of Chicago, by Stephen J. Schnurr, Jr., and Dennis E. Northway, published by the authors, 2005, pages 61-62.

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9/27/2005 - © Chicago-Midwest Chapter, Organ Historical Society