Piano movers, front from left: Margaux Viera, Beverly Street and Carol Libby. Lee Shimmin is in back.
The Baldwin family piano is back in the family.
When Anita Baldwin dissolved her Anoakia Breeding Farm, she disposed of many of her belongings as well as those of her father, Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin. In doing so, she gave a piano to the ranch manager, Jim Carpenter. He kept this piano until the 1950s.
This piano was eventually placed in the care of the Arcadia Historical Society, which displayed it in the original Arcadia Historical Museum. The instrument later was moved to the Gilb Museum for a time. More recently it has been in storage.
The Arcadia Historical Society felt it was time to move it once again, but before doing so, it came to the board’s attention that Margaux Viera — great-great-great granddaughter of “Lucky” Baldwin — had not been approached as to whether she wanted the piano. Needless to say, she is delighted to obtain it.
Now Anita’s piano is in Margaux’s home and her daughter is learning to play on her great- great-great grandmother’s piano.
Related story: “Baldwin estate rug at City Hall”
