1940-44 - Exterior of House (Photograph from an archival source: Wikimedia Commons, submitted by Andrew Henderson/Andrew Henderson)
2023-11-06 - From *The Windsor Star *(September 25, 1912): "The Karn-Morris Piano & Organ Co., Ltd., of Woodstock have just completed the erection and installation of something unique in the line of pipe organ production. In the shape of a $10,000 instrument which has been placed in the home of Mr. Robert Henkel on the River road above Walkerville. The organ has three manuals, great, swell and choir, and an echo organ played from the great manual. A gallery at one end of the room contains the main organ, consisting as stated above of the great, swell and choir, the last two being under expression. The echo organ is situated in the attic of the main house and to one side of the hall. It is enclosed in a room from which the sound is conveyed through a galvanized pipe to the opposite end of the music hall from the main organ, and it is also under expression. A set of chimes are placed in the attic chamber, while the harp is situated over the great organ in the main hall. The console is contained in a nook on the floor of the music room and the switch board for the couples on the opposite side of the passageway leading into the music room. The wind is supplied by a Kinetic blower, which is situated in the boiler room at the other end of the house. The batteries and generator are also placed here, the generator being operated from the Kinetic blower. The instrument is fitted with a self-playing apparatus and the exhaust bellows which is connected to the self-player is also situated in the boiler room. The wind and other connections are carried under the floor to the other sections of the organ and are entirely hidden from view ... The diapasons are bold and at the same time smooth, the string toned stops delicate and varied, while almost every shade of flute tone may be obtained from the many stops of that character contained in the organ. There are six stops in the reed department. These are particularly smooth and even. Special mention might be made to the French horn, which is a covered stop of large scale giving a very perfect imitation of the smothered tone of the real instrument. Some beautiful effects can be obtained from the harp, which may be played either from the great or swell organs. The action is what is called electric pneumatic and the wind pressures vary from 3 3/4 to 8 inches. In connection with the self-playing device a double tracker board has been provided on which music rolls can be used which play an accompaniment on one manual and a solo on another. These rolls have a compass of 58 notes. A reverse drawstop changes the relative position of solo and accompaniment, and the single roll draw stop couples the whole organ so that ordinary single roll music of 58 notes can be rendered. Going still farther, an arrangement has been provided by which piano music rolls of 65 notes may be utilized, and the Karn-Morris Piano & Organ Co. claim they are the pioneers in supplying an arrangement of this kind in connection with a pipe organ. Then, by means of couplers belonging specially to the self-playing attachment, they have succeeded in applying the double roll scheme not only to two manuals but actually to four, so that accompaniments may be played using stops of any part of the organ and a solo from any other. We understand a patent has been applied for which covers this whole device ... In conversation with *The Record* Mr. E. C. Thorton, the general manager of the Karn-Morris Piano & Organ Co., intimated that he hopes to place similar organs with more of our wealthy residents. They will place their Mr. C. S. Warren's long and varied experience in the art of pipe organ building at the disposal of anyone for consultation and advice." -Andrew Henderson
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