WORCESTER — It was about 170 years ago when Worcester was first introduced to a new and incredibly loud sound that created enough din to be heard miles away.
And hear it they did, so much so that the Worcester City Council banned the use of the steam calliope within city limits within a year of its creation.
The musical instrument was created by Worcester resident Joshua Stoddard, a beekeeper and part-time inventor, who had thought it could replace church bells. By running steam through a series of train whistles, the large musical instrument can be played using a pinned cylinder or played manually using a keyboard…