A piece of Solvang history is singing proudly once again.
The wind harp at Atterdag Village of Solvang has been restored thanks to a social media post and Solvang natives eager to protect a key part of the community’s Danish history.
On Wednesday, Atterdag residents and employees plus community members gathered near the wind harp, reportedly the oldest in California, to celebrate its restoration, sparked by a social media post from Orcutt resident Bob Hatch, a Solvang native.
“This is something that we felt needed to be preserved to pass on to our kids and our grandkids and beyond,” said Hans Duus, a blacksmith and Solvang City Council member.
The wind harp represents Solvang history since it dates back to when the site was home to Atterdag College, with the wind harp providing an important legacy for future generations, he added.
Atterdag College opened in 1914 and educated students through 1970, but today’s adults recall spending hours at the wind harp for Sunday School, Boy Scout meetings and more. The site later became home to the Solvang Lutheran Home, now called Atterdag Village.
Hatch, who visited his uncle at Atterdag Village and saw the harp’s rusty state, posted a picture on Facebook, sparking the project to restore it.
He immediately thought of his buddy, Duus, a renowned blacksmith, who was recruited to provide his talents.
Instead of receiving minor repairs, the wind harp received a major makeover that focused on preserving salvageable and crucial parts while replacing pieces damaged from the elements.
“It really was a team effort,” Hatch said.
Financial support for the project came from various sources, including the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School class of 1964, which donated money leftover from its 50th reunion.
“It’s part of our heritage,” said Susan Burchardi Bott. “This is just perfect.”
The wind harp now sits on a concrete foundation created by Elliott & Pohls Construction with Brett Hittner, Atterdag Village facilities management director, helping coordinate the installation.
The wind harp reportedly is based on a time piece called a “tidskugle” from Denmark that had a cage that dropped daily at the same time so people could set their clocks.
It was reproduced for the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco, and afterward a Solvang founder brought it to the Central Coast, where it initially was placed in the Atterdag Bowl and later on a wooden pole near the Atterdag parking lot.
“It should last hopefully another hundred years,” said Chris Parker, executive director of Atterdag Village. “That’s our goal is to have it be a part of the community for years to come.”
As the three men took turns speaking, the wind harp played its song.
“Just enjoy the music,” Parker told the assembled residents and employees. “It’s beautiful.”
The wind harp’s restoration coincides with this week’s 80th Annual Danish Days celebration from Friday through Sunday with a parade and aebleskiver breakfast among traditional events. A full schedule is available online here.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.