The Wanamaker Organ
1300 Market Street in Philadelphia is an unassuming building, tucked between high-rise buildings and in the shadow of city hall. However, housed inside is the largest functioning instrument in the world: the Wanamaker Organ. It was first built in 1904 for the St. Louis World's Fair and designed by organ architect, George Ashdown. In 1909, John Wanamaker purchased the organ to be brought to 1300 Market Street, where Wanamaker’s department store stood. It took thirteen freight train cars to transport the organ to Philadelphia. Over the years, the organ has been renovated and it now boasts 28,750 pipes and 6 sets of keyboards. The instrument weighs 287 tons (632,727 pounds). The organ is now a protected National Historic Landmark…luckily.
Wanamaker’s department store opened in 1861, and after 133 years, Wanamaker’s was sold to the May Department Stores Company and the site became a Hecht’s department store. Since 1995, 1300 Market Street has housed various department stores. Since 2006, the building has been a Macy’s. That is until today. Due to a decline in sales and an increase in shoplifting, Macy’s is closing its doors. It’s unknown what the space will become, if anything, but for the time being it means an end to daily organ concerts and perhaps the end to the iconic Wanamaker Christmas Light Show, narrated by Julie Andrews and accompanied by the organ ringing out tones of good tidings since 1956.
Yesterday there was an all-day farewell (for now) concert titled “Make a Joyful Noise”. My mom and I entered the building and it was filled with Philadelphians making joyful noises. We heard “Bye Wanamaker Organ!” There was an older man in a navy blue sport coat and a “Friends of the Wanamaker Organ” pin telling the history of the instrument and responses of, “Thank you for sharing these stories,” were heard. I felt the humanity of people that has been easy to forget lately.
We went to the third floor for a view of the organist and the gold pipes. Below, there were folding chairs filled with people where the shoe section used to be, listening to the grandeur of history resonate around them. The concert began and it was beautiful and human. My mom began to cry. An organist herself, she has seen and heard dozens of organ concerts in the Wanamaker building over the years. This melancholy touched her.
I looked down to the first floor over the balcony railing and I witnessed the strange paradox below. Today wasn’t just the possible end to the organ concerts, but it was the definitive end of the department store. There was unsold merchandise marked down by 75% remaining. I saw customers rummaging through piles of area rugs while the organ’s sonorous notes echoed up to the detailed crown molding. I wanted to scream at them. HELLO!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW?!? THE 75% OFF RUGS WILL STILL BE THERE IN 30 MINUTES!!!
Behind these shoppers were black signs with tall yellow typography. THIS STORE IS CLOSING. EVERYTHING MUST GO. NOTHING HELD BACK. All of this, literally in the backdrop of the unknown future of this historic building and musical instrument. The biggest concern of these folks was the few remaining rugs and anything not nailed to the walls. And it made me hurt. My mom felt it too, but she said, “Maybe it’s what John Wanamaker would’ve wanted. People have always shopped while listening to this organ.” And I hope it was what he would’ve wanted. And I hope whatever the building becomes still allows the organ to fill the ears and hearts of Philadelphians as it has for over 100 years.
