A Tale of a Trail to Tehachapi

It is said, "put it out to the universe and it shall come to you". Colleen Kohnen did just that and was elated, when offered a wonderful gift for Kohnen's Bakery. She had often thought a piano would be nice to have in the bakery, but nothing seemed to come her way, until one day, Hester and Daniel Botha, stopped in for coffee. The Daniel's owned a beautiful Steinway & Sons piano, but had moved to a smaller home, with little room for such a grand piano, nor did their daughters have room for the piano. During their conversation, Hester remarked to Daniel, "our piano would look lovely in the bakery". Daniel agreed and they asked Colleen if she would be interested. She was overwhelmed and delighted, to say the least.

This was not just any piano, this piano was 143 years old. According to Steinway & Sons of New York, after Colleen provided the company with the serial number, they gave her the following information. "Steinway serial number, corresponds to a New York Square, Style 2 Rosewood, seven octaves (85) notes, bichord treble (two strings per note), two pedals, length 6'8", approximate net weight 600 lbs, completed and shipped to former dealer, Matthias Gray of San Francisco, California, from Steinway & Sons of New York, Oct. 28, 1871. One-hundred-forty-three-years later, this magnificent piano has come to rest in Kohnen's bakery. It was a breathtaking moment for Kohnen to comprehend having something so grand, being offered to her, for the bakery.

The tale of the piano began in New York, Oct. 28, 1871. As previously mentioned, it was shipped from Steinway & Sons to piano dealer, Matthias Gray, of San Francisco. Current Administrator, David Kirkland of Steinway & Sons, found after research, he was unable to provide the shipper, just the date it shipped. Contact with several, by sea, shipping companies and inquiring as to their thoughts regarding shipment by sea in 1871, indicated it would not be a feasible mode of transport, of a piano. Cape Horn, on the southern most tip of South America is known for tumultuous seas and severe weather conditions. That in conjunction with the fact it would have taken several months to make the trip from New York to San Francisco and the effects the damp sea air would have on a piano, make it an unlikely form of transportation.

Thankfully, the Transcontinental Railway laid the last tie, May 10, 1869, almost two-and-a-half years before the piano made its way, shore to shore, across the continental United States. Unfortunately research of shipping manifests of the Transcontinental Railroad, did not provide conclusive evidence to determine the shipment of the piano. The only other option would have been by horse and buggy and once again, a difficult trip for a piano to traverse and arrive safely in San Francisco.

Moving forward to 2000, the Botha's saw an ad in the Penny Saver, of all places, for the piano, with an asking price of $1,800. Their daughters – Suzanne, Julie and Bianca – all played the piano and the Botha's decided to look into the purchase of the piano. Julie and Suzanne went with them and the owner Mr. Hendricks allowed them each to play the piano. The Botha's decided to purchase the piano and upon sealing the deal, Mr. Hendricks chose to give them the piano. Hearing the girls play, reminded him of his mother playing and it brought him to tears. Therefore, his decision was to give them the piano, accepting no funds in exchange. The Botha family was thrilled and surprised at the wonderful musical instrument gift that had befallen them.

During the conversation, Mr. Hendricks, told the Botha's he remembered the piano coming by horse and buggy from San Francisco, when his mother made the purchase. He said he was very young at the time but distinctly remembers the delivery of the piano and how impressed he was with the trip it had made from San Francisco to Tehachapi.

Ending the long journey, Tom and Colleen Kohnen, proprietors of Kohnen's Bakery, had the piano disassembled, moved from the Botha's to Kohnen's Bakery and reassembled. The Kohnen's encourage people to come in, play and enjoy the beautiful musical quality of the piano.

It is amazing the wonderful things that can come into your life, when you least expect them.

Ask Colleen Kohnen, she knows....