Manufacturing Makes Music
Garwood Historical Committee
Although Garwood turned a mere 119 years old this past March, there is a lot of history in the Borough. Our tiny Borough was once the Industrial Hub of Union County as indicated by the Great Seal of the Borough, which hangs in the Garwood Council Chambers. Many internationally-known manufacturing companies had a facility in this town, mainly because the railroad tracks ran through its center. Now replaced by commuter trains, freight trains were a common site crossing Center Street. One notable business was the Aeolian Company whose castle-like façade is all that remains of a once burgeoning business.
In 1898, the Aeolian Company purchased the Votey Organ Company and soon constructed a new purpose-built factory for it in Garwood. The factory stood on a site adjacent to North Avenue with the Central Railroad of New Jersey tracks at the rear. Manufacturing started around August 1900. In August 1903, a new holding company was set up, known as the Aeolian, Weber Piano and Pianola Co. Its water tower and tall obelisk-like chimney dominated Garwood’s skyline for many years.
At the Longwood Gardens, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, you can experience a beautifully restored Aeolian Organ that was custom built here in Garwood in its factory on North Avenue.
In 1929, the great ballroom in Longwood Gardens was built by Pierre du Pont to house a new organ and to protect it from any temperature changes. Organist Firmin Swinnen designed the organ that was then handcrafted at the Aeolian factory. The organ had 10,010 pipes set up in 146 ranks, making it one of the largest Aeolian organs ever built. At that time—1929—the organ cost $122,700. Mr. Swinnen was the concert organist in residence at Longwood from 1923 to 1956 where he played regularly on the 1930 Aeolian Organ.
For more information about the Garwood Historical Committee, contact Carol Lombardo at garwoodhistory@garwood.org.
