Introduction
The Keweenaw Peninsula, the northernmost part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. The land was mined by prehistoric miners, starting in 3,000 B.C., and has produced over 1.5 billion pounds of pure copper. Its major industries are now logging and tourism. The northern end, referred to locally as Copper Island, is separated from the rest of the peninsula by the Keweenaw Waterway, a natural river that was dredged and expanded in the 1860s across the peninsula between the cities of Houghton on the south side and Hancock on the north.
The Keweenaw’s importance in mining led to the founding of the Michigan College of Mines (now Michigan Technological University) in Houghton in 1885. From 1964–1971, the University of Michigan cooperated with NASA and the U.S. Navy to run the Keweenaw Rocket launch site.
In the Keweenaw, many artifacts, buildings, and locations have been documented and preserved for local historical museums and the Keweenaw National Historic Park. What have not been documented are the historic pipe organs in the area. It is the intent of this article to do that. Included are a brief description and history of each church structure and a description, stoplist, and photos for each pipe organ featured. Information was gleaned from books about the area, brochures and bulletins from the individual churches, clippings from Upper Peninsula newspapers, and people—the local organists and pastors and local historic preservationist, Ed Yarbrough. A bibliography is included at the end of the catalog.
In 1995 the Pine Mountain Music Festival (PMMF) for the first time included a pipe organ recital and work-shop in their concert schedule. Two major events happened at that time. First, the Keweenaw group formed the Organists of the Keweenaw, and since then we have met three or four times a year sharing in presenting programs for each other. The second event was an organ crawl to visit the historic organs that David Short had “rediscovered” thirty years earlier. Shortly after, I began collecting material for a catalog of the Keweenaw organs.
David Short has been a partner with me in the collection of this material. In his early enthusiasm he became acquainted with all the instruments listed and registered some of them with the Organ Historical Society. I am indebted to him for providing access to the buildings and the instruments and providing much of the history. I collected the stoplists, wrote the histories from the collected sources, did all the photography, and formatted the information. He read the draft and corrected technical errors. It is to him that I dedicate this catalog. Errors are strictly my own.
These magnificent music machines are a valuable historic resource in the Keweenaw. They reflect the boom days of the copper mining era when people of wealth who lived in the area sought the best music for their churches and arranged for the purchase of these instruments. To replace any one of these pipe organs at this time would cost a minimum of $200,000 and many times more for the larger instruments. Their great value requires regular maintenance and care similar to any other major investment such as automobile or home. Well-maintained pipe organs live for centuries. A loss of any one of the Keweenaw pipe organs is a loss of history, loss of a valuable asset, and, because they are wind instruments similar to the human voice, a loss of the very best way to lead the people of a congregation in their song.
We hope this catalog will trigger interest in the organs of the Keweenaw from the local folk as well as travelers to this unique place. To see the organs, visitors may contact the church offices to make arrangements for a convenient visit.
History
People have always had their songs. Prior to the boom of the music publishing industry in the early 1900s, people matched their voices with whatever instruments they had—homemade or store-bought. Angus Murdoch writes in Boom Copper of the “Grand Callithumpian” parade in Calumet (Boom Copper, 1943, 199), where bands from all over the Copper Country gathered for the Fourth of July celebration. The bands were from mining companies, lodges and guilds, various “locations,” and represented various ethnic groups. Larry Lankton quotes Bishop Baraga being surprised at “the fast spreading of civilization on the shores of Lake Superior . . . [where] there was even a piano on which a young American woman played very skillfully . . . Many settlers undoubtedly brought musical instruments with them. Others special-ordered instruments at frontier stores. By as early as 1849–50, John Senter’s store in Eagle River did a modest trade in musical instruments, selling an accordion, a melodion, bass violas and bows, a violin and bow, guitars and guitar strings. Flageolets, and a German flute, a tuning fork, and a violin and cello instruction book” (Beyond the Boundaries 1997, 168–169). The ethnic folk brought with them their song. They sang drinking songs, folk songs, or parlor songs such as published in The Gray Book of Favorite Songs, and they sang their hymns. Much of what defined ethnic identity and culture through the decades was the song of the church in their hymnals. Indeed, the religious belief of people is, in large part, learned and remembered from the words and tunes of their hymns. It was only in the last decades of the 20th century that some foreign-language hymnals ceased to be used and the hymns begun to be sung in English. During all that time the leader of that song was, and still is, the organ.
Reed pump organs were common in both church and home. Thurner, in writing about the early 20th century, quotes Clare Moyer who recalled a pump organ in her home (Strangers and Sojourners, 1994, 187). Most likely, church congregations that could not afford pipe organs bought reed pump organs instead. Some of these instruments, now over 100 years old, still survive. At least two are currently used during summer services in local chapels. Others, also in working order, can be seen in local museums.
Acquisition of pipe organs probably reflected the wealth of the congregation. Some instruments from the late 19th century cost little over $2000. The Boom Copper folks wanted for their local churches what they had had “out East”—the pipe organ. This was not uncommon for people in remote areas. During the “Gold Rush” in Canada’s Dawson City in the Yukon, a frame Presbyterian Church, built to hold 650 people, had a pipe organ, which had been shipped to the church by steamboat up the Yukon River. The Congregational Church in Calumet bought a Garret House organ in 1870 from the manufacturer in Buffalo, New York. It was shipped—keydesk, 16' metal and wood pipes and all—to Lake Linden and then transported up the hill to Calumet. Some time later, the congregation decided to get a larger organ and bought a Hook & Hastings instrument, again from “out East.” The Garret House was given to the Lake Linden Church and made the journey back down the hill. Sad to say, the Calumet church met with disaster when both the building and the organ were destroyed by fire. The congregation joined with the Presbyterian congregation that had in their building a 1905 Estey organ.
Both the Estey, which was rebuilt in 1970, and the Garret House, which has been cleaned and reconditioned, are still in use. There is a great irreplaceable investment in the Keweenaw pipe organs! Thurner writes that the German Lutherans in Laurium built a church “early in the twentieth century [which had] an altar with elaborate wood carving, three steeple bells, and an organ . . . ” (Strangers and Sojourners, 134). Armas Holmio describes the Finnish Lutheran Church that was built in 1889 on Reservation Street in Hancock: “In the balcony of the new church, which was the most imposing one owned by Finnish Americans of that time, there was a large pipe organ . . . ” (History of the Finns in Michigan, 2001, 188). That organ, a Kilgen dating from 1915, was moved to the newly constructed Gloria Dei building after the Lutheran Church mergers in 1964.
The Houghton Methodists suffered several fires, the last one in 1916 destroying a pipe organ, according to Terry Reynolds’ history of the church (Grace of Houghton, 37). Until their new building was erected, the Methodists worshiped for a time with the First Presbyterians on Franklin Square, and then separately in the Masonic Temple. When the Methodists decided to purchase an organ for their new church, the Presbyterians apparently took advantage of the opportunity. Both churches dealt with the same company during the same period of time and ended up with similar instruments, the Methodists’ Maxcy-Barton organ being somewhat larger. When the Presbyterian church was razed to allow for highway expansion down Montezuma Hill, their Maxcy-Barton was purchased by a local party and installed in the family home.
Sadly, the same did not happen for the large Austin organ in the First Congregational Church of Hancock, which was razed about the same time. The music history of that church, which included among others the notable baritone Will Hall, was impressive. The organ had played a huge musical role in the church and community, but unfortunately could find no local home, and was sold to a party outside of the area.
Another organ has lain in state for over 30 years. When one local church closed, no home could be found for the pipe organ. Pastor John Simonson dismantled the instrument and made plans to install it in an enlarged garage on his property. The project was not completed, and the organ now awaits resurrection, hopefully to be placed in the St. Anne Heritage Center in Calumet, where it could be used for concerts, weddings, and other events and to echo the music of the ethnic people of the area.
The Keweenaw boasts pipe organs dating from 1870 to 1968. All are in working order and in regular use, and several are tracker organs. All of the Keweenaw tracker organs now have electric blowers; however, two of the trackers can still be hand pumped. One has a detached and reversed keydesk. Several of the Keweenaw organs are in their original state with no changes having been made. They were installed with electric blowers and with either electro-pneumatic or electro-magnetic action. Three have been moved to different locations. Although the consoles have been moved in at least two churches, the innards of the instruments remain the same. One organ has been enlarged to meet the specifications for the original instrument. Others have been so enlarged with additional pipes and digital circuitry that they no longer resemble the original instrument. Only two organs have three manuals. One has an echo organ placed at the opposite end of the sanctuary from the main organ chamber. Another is a beautiful one-manual, no-pedalboard organ with fully exposed pipes. The Keweenaw pipe organs are irreplaceable treasures, a legacy from those folks of the Boom Copper days who sought to bring the best of instruments to their churches for their peoples’ song. These are instruments worthy of preservation, care, and constant use. Let them be heard!
Pipe Organs of the Keweenaw, Houghton County, Michigan
Calumet, Laurium
Community Church, Calumet. Estey, 1907; Verlinden 2M, 1970
St. Paul the Apostle, Calumet. Kilgen 2M, 1869; Lauck, 2001
St. Paul Lutheran (Missouri Synod), Laurium. Schuelke 2M, 1902; Verlinden, 1963
Hancock, Houghton
First United Methodist, Hancock. Kimball 2M, 1905; electro-pneumatic 1958; refurbished, Lauck, 2005
Gloria Dei Lutheran, Hancock. Kilgen 2M, 1915?; moved to new location 1969; rebuilt and enlarged, Fabry, 2000
Grace United Methodist, Houghton. Maxcy-Barton, 1931; rebuilt, Verlinden, 1971
Michigan Technological University. Wurlitzer, 3M, c1920; installed at MTU, John Wagner, Wicks, 1970–1975
David and Carol Waisanen residence. Maxcy-Barton 2M, c1931–1933; moved from original location, 1975
Sts. Peter & Paul Lutheran (Missouri Synod), Hancock. Haase 2M, 1901; modified and electrified, Haase, 1960; rebuilt, Roscoe Wheeler, 1997
Trinity Episcopal, Houghton. Austin 3M, 1913, 1976, 1987
Lake Linden, Hubbell
Heritage Center (former First Congregational Church), Houghton County Historical Museum, Lake Linden. Garret House 2M, 1870; cleaned, Dana Hull, 2001; restored, Helmut Schick, 2002
St. Cecilia RC, Hubbell. Felgemaker 2M, c1900
St. John’s Lutheran (Missouri Synod), Hubbell. Verlinden 1M, 1968
St. Joseph’s RC, Lake Linden. Casavant Frères 2M, 1916; overhauled 1957; electro-pneumatic, Verlinden, 1982; cleaned, new console, J. A. Hebert, 1995; additions, Lauck, 2001
Lake Linden United Methodist, Lake Linden. Lancashire-Marshall 2M, 1893; Hugh Stahl, 1950
Keweenaw area
Rockland Roman Catholic. Garret House, 1859 (not functional)
Calumet and Laurium
Community Church of Calumet
201 Red Jacket Road, Calumet, MI 49913; 906/337-4610.
Estey tracker 1907; rebuilt, Verlinden “incorporating most of the stops from the original organ,” electro-pneumatic, 1970. 2M/28 stops, 16 ranks
Placement: center front of sanctuary in well of choir loft, facing organ chamber
GREAT (enclosed)
8' Open Diapason 61 pipes
8' Melodia 61 pipes
8' Dulciana 61 pipes
4' Octave 61 pipes
4' Waldflote 12 pipes
2' Fifteenth 12 pipes
II Grave Mixture 122 pipes
8' Trumpet 61 notes
16' Great to Great
4' Great to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
Four combination pistons
SWELL (enclosed)
16' Bourdon 73 notes
8' Stopped Diapason 73 pipes
8' Salicional 73 pipes
8' Voix Celeste TC 49 pipes
4' Principal 73 pipes
4' Flute d’Amour 12 pipes
4' Salicet 61 notes
22⁄3' Nazard 61 notes
2' Principal 61 notes
2' Flautino 61 notes
13⁄5' Tierce 57 notes
8' Trumpet 73 pipes
4' Clarion 61 notes
Tremolo
16' Swell to Swell
4' Swell to Swell
Swell Unison Off
Four combination pistons
PEDAL (enclosed)
16' Bourdon 32 pipes
16' Lieblich Gedeckt 12 pipes
8' Octave 12 pipes
8' Bass Flute 32 notes
8' Gedeckt 32 notes
4' Choral Bass 32 notes
8' Trumpet 32 notes
8' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
Deagan Chimes - 21 bells
Expression pedal for entire organ
Crescendo pedal
Sforzando toe piston
Great to pedal reversible toe piston
The Calumet Congregational Church was the church of James MacNaughton and Alexander Agassiz and represented the elite and wealthy of the community. The original church, built in 1874, burned down in 1949. In 1971 the congregation merged with the Calumet Presbyterian Church, which had been built in 1894 to serve the Scottish Presbyterians in the area. The merged churches, first named the Federated Church, then became the Community Church of Calumet (Congregational-Presbyterian). In 2005 the congregation separated from the Presbyterian Church (USA) in order to lease the basement facilities to the Copper Country Community Arts Council. It retains affiliation with the United Church of Christ.
The organ was originally built from two Estey trackers from Brattleboro, Vermont. Estey was in business from 1846–1960 and manufactured more than 3,200 pipe organs during the first half of the 20th century. On November 5, 1969, the Calumet organ was removed by Verlinden Organ Company, Milwaukee. Roman J. Leese, president of Verlinden, designed a new chamber, and the organ was reinstalled with most of the original pipes on July 13, 1970. It was converted to electro-pneumatic, and the console was moved from next to the chamber to a well at the opposite side of the choir loft. It is totally under expression. The first service with the new installation was played July 17, 1970, with James Abrams at the console. Dedicatory recitalist on November 5, 1970, was Harvey L. Gustafson. (Source: church records by Charles Stetter)
St. Paul the Apostle Church
301 Eighth Street, Calumet, MI 49913; 906/337-2044.
Kilgen, 1905, reverse tracker, 2M, 17 stops; oak, 18' wide, 9' deep; original cost $4,000. Rebuilt, cleaned, new trackers, manuals regulated, 1 stop* added, Lauck, 2001. Pneumatic pedal, hand pump preserved.
Placement: rear balcony, facing front of sanctuary
GREAT
8' Open Diapason
8' Trompette*
8' Melodia
4' Octave
4' Flute d’Amour
2' Fifteenth
16' Bourdon
SWELL (enclosed)
8' Violin Diapason
8' Salicional
8' Aeoline
8' Oboe Gamba (2 ranks, non-reed)
8' Stopped Diapason
4' Violina
4' Flute Harmonique
2' Flautina
Swell to Great
Tremolo
PEDAL
16' Bourdon
8' Violon Cello
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Pneumatic assist
Five foot pedals: soft to loud
The parish was established in 1889 by Slovenian immigrants and was originally named St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church. The original 1890 wood frame building was destroyed by fire in 1902. The new twin-spired church was built of Jacobsville sandstone from 1903 to 1908 at the cost $100,000. In 1928 St. Joseph’s Parish absorbed St. Anthony’s Polish Parish. After 1966 they absorbed St. Mary’s (Italian), St. Anne’s (French), St. John’s (Croatian), and took the name St. Paul the Apostle Parish. The structure was designated an Historical Building in the State of Michigan in 1983.
The 1905 Kilgen organ is a reverse tracker. Although operating with electric power, the organ retains the original pump and can be operated in that manner. (Source: church brochure)
St. Paul Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod)
146 Tamarack, Laurium, MI 49913; 906/337-0231.
Schuelke, 1902; rebuilt Verlinden, 1963
Placement: rear balcony, right side of console faces the front of the sanctuary
GREAT
8' Diapason
8' Melodia
8' Dulciana
4' Principal
III Mixture
8' Trumpet
16' Great
4' Great
Great Unison Off
16' Swell to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
Chimes
Tremulant
SWELL
8' Geigen
8' Bourdon
8' Salicional
8' Celeste
4' Harmonic Flute
2' Fifteenth
II Sesquialtera
16' Krummhorn
8' Krummhorn
8' Trumpet
4' Fagotto
16' Swell
4' Swell
Swell Unison Off
Chimes
Tremulant
PEDAL
16' Bourdon
8' Octave Bass
4' Fagotto
8' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
4' Swell to Pedal
Presets are inside the organ chamber
The congregation formed in 1879. The first church building was located on Scott Street in Calumet. The present building was dedicated 1899.
The Schuelke tracker organ was given to the congregation in 1902 by Mr. Ernest Bollman. In 1929 two recitals were performed by Mr. Martin, Chicago, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church. In 1961 Rudolf Patsloff donated the trumpet rank, which is mounted to the left of the chancel in the front of the church. Franz Ziems, organist for many years, left a bequest to renovate the organ. Renovation was completed by Verlinden Co., Milwaukee, in October 1963. The dedicatory recital was played by Rev. Harvey Gustafson, Minneapolis. He played four more recitals after that time. The chimes were given in memory of John Messner. The casework of the chamber is the work of Arthur Jarvela. (Source: e-mail from church organist Jan List)
Hancock and Houghton
First United Methodist Church
401 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI 49930; 906/482-4190.
Kimball, 1905, tracker, 2M, 11 ranks; rebuilt to electro-pneumatic action 1950; new wind lines, 1998; refurbished 2005 by Fabry, Antioch, Illinois.
Placement: front left dais; console is on a moveable platform
Console: not AGO, but radiating pedalboard
GREAT
8' Open Diapason
8' Melodia
8' Dulciana
4' Principal
4' Flute
22⁄3' Twelfth
2' 15th
4' Great to Great
16' Swell to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
SWELL 8' Violin Diapason
8' Stopped Diapason
8' Gamba
4' Flute d’Amour
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Flautino
Tremolo
16' Swell to Swell
4' Swell to Swell
PEDAL
16' Bourdon
16' Gedeckt
8' Principal
8' Bass Flute
4' Flute
8' Great to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
The congregation of the First Methodist Church organized in 1860, the first of any denomination to be established in Hancock. The first building was erected in 1861. The present structure of Jacobsville sandstone and brick was dedicated in 1903.
In 1905 the Kimball tracker organ was installed, a gift from Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Roberts. The console was built into the paneling of the chamber with the choir loft on either side and in front, with the organist’s back to the choir and congregation. In 1950 the organ was converted to electro-pneumatic and the console moved from its tracker position to a well at the opposite side of the choir loft. In 1998 the sanctuary was renovated and choir loft was leveled to make a flat dais across the chancel area. The organ console was placed on a moveable platform and new wind lines installed by Fabry, Inc. In 2005 Fabry also replaced slide tuners in the pipes, installed a new blower, and repainted the pipes located above the paneling fronting the lower part of the chamber. (Sources: Monette; church organist Carol Waisanen)
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (ELCA)
1000 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI 49930; 906/482-2381.
Kilgen, 1915? 2M; moved to new building, 1969; console rebuilt and preparation made for additions, Fabry, 2002
Placement: rear balcony; left side of console faces front of sanctuary
GREAT
8' Diapason
8' Gedeckt
8' Dulciana
4' Principal
4' Flute d’Amour
4' Dulcet
12th Dolce
15th Dolce
13⁄5' Dolce Tierce
16' Great to Great
4' Great to Great
16' Swell to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
Chimes
Unison Off
MIDI to Great
SWELL
8' Violin Diapason
8' Gedeckt
8' Salicional
8' Voix Celeste
4' Principal
4' Flute d’Amour
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Flautino
8' Trompette
8' Oboe
Tremolo
16' Swell to Swell
4' Swell to Swell
Unison Off
PEDAL 32' Resultant
16' Bourdon
16' Lieblich Gedeckt
8' Diapason
8' Bass Flute
8' Gedeckt
4' Choral Bass
8' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
4' Swell to Pedal
Memory Select
Transposer
Swell presets: 5, Swell to Pedal
Great presets: 5, Great to Pedal
Generals: 10, Tutti
Toe studs:
General cancel
10 generals
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Resultant
Tutti
The Gloria Dei congregation traces its roots to 1867 when the Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was formed. It was reorganized in 1880 as the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. The first wood frame building was partly destroyed by fire in 1896 and again in 1909. A brick building was constructed in 1910. Shortly after, a member of the congregation, Andrew Johnson, gave the first pipe organ to the church. In 1955 the name of the church was changed to St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1962 most of the national Lutheran church bodies merged into the Lutheran Church of America. Salem Lutheran (Swedish) and St. Matthew’s (Finnish) merged in 1966 and adopted the name Gloria Dei.
The present building was constructed in 1969, and the Kilgen organ from St. Matthew’s was moved and installed in the new structure. In 2002, the organ was rebuilt by Fabry, Inc. of Fox Lake, Illinois. (Sources: Monette; church records and members)
Grace United Methodist Church
201 Isle Royale, Houghton, MI 49931; 906/482-2780.
Maxcy-Barton, 1931; rebuilt Verlinden, 1971
Placement: left of chancel, below dais
GREAT
8' Open Diapason
8' Melodia
8' Salicional
8' Dulciana
4' Octave
4' Wald Flute
4' Dulcet
22⁄3' Twelfth
2' Fifteenth
16' Great to Great
4' Great to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
Chimes
SWELL
16' Bourdon
8' Stopped Flute
8' Salicional
8' Dulciana
8' Vox Celeste
4' Principal
4' Flute d’Amour 4' Salicet
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Flautino
13⁄5' Tierce
8' (Syn) Orchestral Oboe
16' Swell to Swell
4' Swell to Swell
Unison Off
Tremulant
PEDAL
16' Sub Bass
16' Bourdon
8' Octave
8' Bass Flute
8' Bourdon
8' Cello
4' Choral Bass
4' Flute
8' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
3 pistons and cancel on Swell
3 pistons and cancel on Great
One toe stud, coupler
1 expression pedal
1 crescendo pedal
Grace’s history from 1854 to 2004 is documented in booklet form by Professor Terry Reynolds of the Social Science Department of Michigan Technological University. The church stems from a “Methodist Class” that formed in 1854, an outgrowth of Methodist missions that had begun around 1832 with the Ojibwa natives of the Upper Peninsula. A frame building was constructed in 1859 and in 1890 money was first raised to purchase an organ. In 1893 a new sandstone structure was built and again, in 1907, church records show efforts to raise money for an organ.
An organ must have been installed in that structure as the church history reports a fire in 1916, which destroyed, among other things, the organ. The present Maxcy-Barton was installed in 1931. It is most likely that the Maxcy-Barton organ of the First Presbyterian Church was also installed at that time as the organs are similar except that the Methodist instrument is larger. In 1971 Verlinden rebuilt the instrument and in the 1990s the console was moved from the dais to the main floor level on left side of the chancel. (Source: Reynolds)
Michigan Technological University
MacInnes Ice Arena, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931.
Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, c1920; installed May 1975
Placement: platform on rafters, west wall of MacInnes Ice Arena, access on a 50-ft. ladder climb
1119 pipes, 15 ranks, 130 stops
drums
bells
130 stops
24 notes, cathedral chimes
32-note pedalboard
This instrument was first installed in the Presbyterian Church, Utica, New York, and later moved to the home of James Thomas, who added theatre organ components from two Pennsylvania theatre organs and accessories from a Boston radio station. The instrument, valued at $75,000, was donated to MTU in the late 1960s through the efforts of John Wagner, class of ’61. It was moved to MTU in 1970 with initial installation done by Wagner and completed by the Wicks Organ Company, Highland, Illinois.
The organ was first played for Michigan Tech’s commencement exercises May 1975 by Gerrit Lamain, director of the Suomi College (now Finlandia University) Choir, Hancock, and later of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lamain entertained hockey fans prior to Michigan Tech’s games until he left the area, returning regularly to play for Tech’s commencement exercises. The console is mounted on a high platform at the west end of the MacInnes Ice Arena. Access is achieved by climbing a 50-foot ladder. An article and pictures featuring this instrument can be found in the April 2000 “Alumnus” magazine of Michigan Tech. (Source: Nordberg)
David and Carol Waisanen residence, Hancock, MI.
Maxcy-Barton, Oshkosh, WI, 2M, 8 ranks, 1931–33?, electro-pneumatic; installed by owner, 1975
Placement: music room, console on balcony (former back porch); organ chamber installed with original paneling and grillework
GREAT
8' Open Diapason 61 pipes
8' Melodia 73 pipes
8' Dulciana 61 pipes
4' Flute 61 notes
Unison Off
SWELL
8' Stopped Diapason 73 pipes
8' Salicional 73 pipes
8' Vox Humana 61 pipes
4' Flute d’Amour 61 notes
Tremulant
Unison Off
PEDAL
16' Bourdon 12 pipes
(20 notes from Sw St. Diap.)
8' Flute (from Sw St. Diap.)
Couplers
16' Great to Great
4' Great to Great
16' Swell to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
8' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
Combination pistons:
3 Swell, controlling Swell and Pedal organs and couplers, cancel
3 Great, controlling Great and Pedal organs and couplers, cancel
Balanced expression pedal
Balanced adjustable crescendo pedal
First installed in the First Presbyterian Church, Houghton between 1931 and 1933, it is believed that this instrument was installed during the same period that a larger Maxcy-Barton was placed in the Grace Methodist Church. Maxcy organs were custom built to fit the acoustics of the space. The organ chamber in the Presbyterian church was at the front of the sanctuary and enclosed in a wooden grillework similar to the one in Grace. The detached console was located below the rostrum and in front of the choir loft, which was an elevated tiered area at one side of the chancel. The building was razed in 1976 due to highway construction, and the instrument was purchased by a private party. The owner converted his back yard to a vaulted music room. The organ chamber is enclosed in the original wood grillework from the church and the console sits on what used to be the back porch of the home. (Sources: The Daily Mining Gazette; Waisanen)
Sts. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod)
323 Hancock Street, Hancock, MI 49930; 906/482-4750.
Haase, tracker 1901; modified and electrified by Haase Organ Co., Marengo, IL, 1960; rebuilt, Roscoe Wheeler, Curran, MI, 1997
Placement: balcony, rear of church, left side of console faces front of sanctuary
GREAT
8' Principal
8' Quintaten
8' Gemshorn
4' Octave
22⁄3' Twelfth
2' Fifteenth
8' Great to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
16' Great to Great
4' Great to Great
SWELL
8' Rohr Gedeckt
8' Salicional
4' Koppel Flute
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Flautino
8' Oboe
Swell Unison Off
Tremolo
16' Swell to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
16' Swell to Swell
4' Swell to Swell
8' Swell to Pedal
PEDAL
16' Sub Bass
16' Quintaten
16' Posaune
8' Principal
8' Rohr Flute
8' Oboe
4' Choral Bass
Great expression pedal
Swell expression pedal
Crescendo pedal
Sforzando pedal piston
Swell enclosed
Great open
Presets for Swell and Great individually and in combination; located within the organ chamber.
MIDI to Swell, Great, Pedal
Schulmerich carillon keyboard attached to console
The congregation, the first Lutheran one in the Copper Country, was founded in 1867 as the Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische Peter and Paul’s Gemeinde in Hancock. The first church structure was built in 1867 and the present church structure in 1881.
In 1901 the organ was purchased for the sum of $500 from St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The dedicatory recital was played by Professor Karl Haase. Most of the original pipes were constructed in Berlin, Germany by August Laukhuff Orgelteile. New ones were constructed and added by the Durst Organ Co., Erie, Pennsylvania. Under the Rev. Mr. Boomhower the organ was refurbished in 1997 at the cost of $25,000. Improvements included work on all inner mechanical works and solid state circuitry. Total cost for repairs and improvements up to 1998 was $30,000. This church also houses in its belfry tower three bells of 1,000, 800, and 600 pounds. (Sources: Monette; service bulletin)
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