Rosario Resort, Moran Mansion - 2/26 Aeolian
Orcas Island, Washington
One Rosario Way, East Sound
(360) 376-2222 or (800) 562-8820
 
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Rosario, the palatial estate built by Seattle ship-builder Robert Moran between 1906 and 1918, sits overlooking Cascade Bay on Orcas Island in the San Juan Archipelago.
 

The mansion has 54 rooms including 18 bedrooms. A highlight feature is the music room with its 26 rank Aeolian pipe organ installed in 1913. The original cost of the organ was $16,000 and it contains 1,972 pipes. The pipes take up almost half the room, located in chambers concealed behind beautiful hand-latticed mahogany and a facade of non-speaking pipes.
 

 
The console is hidden above the main floor in the balcony. The organ was actually installed as a player only; the original console had no keyboards. In later years, the console was rebuilt by the W.W. Kimball Company to include two manuals.
 

Kimball console with roll player

Console and roll cabinets

Despite not being able to play a note, it has been said that Mr. Moran invited island residents and estate guests to organ concerts in which he presided "at the keyboard." Only his back from the waist up was visible from the floor below, and his guests, actually believing that he was playing, congratulated him on wonderful concerts.
 
The music room also contains a beautiful ornate 1900 Steinway grand piano and a small harmonium, or pump organ, which is located in the balcony.