Continuing on our pilgrimage of all things Catholic in Quebec - we came upon a pipe organ manufacturer in the city where a member of our family studied to be a nurse in the 1940s. Casavant Brothers just may be the pre-eminent maker of pipe organs in North America. Founded in 1879, Casavant Frères is one of the best known and most respected pipe organ builders in the world. Located in the little city of Saint-Hyacinthe - between Montreal and Drummondville in the province of Quebec - the company remains at the top of its game. Essentially a builder of pipe organs for large organizations such as churches and the like, Casavant Frères is not a firm a retail buyer would normally come across. But for commercial and religious applications, this is a name to be reckoned with. It has always been headquartered in Saint-Hyacinthe, but does have world-wide operations. One of the churches they installed a pipe organ at is in Chicago - St. John Cantius at 825 N. Carpenter Street on the near-north side. read more

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