Trinity Episcopal Church
205 East Montezuma, Houghton, MI 49931; 906/482-2010.
Austin, 1913, 3M, 26 ranks; new console, 1958; rebuilt with new console, 1976; rebuilt, Roscoe Wheeler, Iron Mountain, MI, 1987; repaired, including reinstallation of the Echo organ, Lauck, 2004.
Placement: chancel, right side, in well facing the opposite side
GREAT
8' Open Diapason Rank 1
8' Clarabella Rank 2
8' Dulciana Choir
4' Octave Rank 3
4' Stopped Flute Choir
2' Fifteenth (ext of Rank 1)
III Mixture Ranks 4-5-6
Great 16
Great 4
Great Unison Off
Swell to Great 16, 8, 4
Choir to Great 16, 8, 4
Echo on Great
Echo on Great Off
Chimes (Echo) 25 bars
SWELL
16' Bourdon Rank 12
8' Rohrflute Rank 13
8' Viole d’Orchestre Rank 14
4' Geigen Principal Rank 15
4' Flute Harmonique Rank 16
22⁄3' Nazard Rank 17
2' Flautino Rank 18
8' Cornopean Rank 19
8' Oboe Rank 20
Tremolo
Swell 16, 4
Swell Unison Off
CHOIR
8' Violin Cello Rank 7
8' Spitzflute Rank 8
8' Dulciana Rank 9
4' Flute Rank 10
8' Clarinet Rank 11
Tremolo
Choir 16, 4
Choir Unison Off
Swell to Choir 16, 8, 4
ECHO
8' Chimney Flute Rank 21
8' Viole Aetheria Rank 22
8' Vox Angelica Rank 23
4' Fern Flute Rank 24
8' Cor Anglais Rank 25
8' Vox Humana Rank 26
Tremolo
Chimes 25 Bars
16' Pedal Bourdon (ext of Rank 21)
PEDAL
32' Resultant Bass Wired
16' Open Diapason (ext of Rank 1)
16' Bourdon Rank 27
16' Contra Dulciana (ext of Rank 9)
16' Gedeckt Swell
8' Flute (ext of Rank 27)
16' Echo Bourdon (ext of Rank 21)
Great to Pedal 8, 4
Swell to Pedal 8, 4
Choir to Pedal 8, 4
Programmable thumb pistons under each manual
Toe pistons: 10 General; 5 Pedal with some reversibles
Crescendo pedal
Swell expression
Choir expression
Choir and Great are on same wind chest
The forming of the Houghton Episcopal congregation began in 1860. The parish was officially founded in 1861 when the congregation entered into an agreement with members of the Congregational denomination to jointly construct a building in Hancock. Disagreement followed as to which denomination the building would be dedicated. The Episcopalians, who comprised the majority of the joint church board, floated the building across Portage Lake to Houghton to the site of the present church. Construction on the present church began in 1907 and was completed in 1910 when it was dedicated.
The Austin organ was installed in 1912 with the dedicatory service played by Edwin Arthur Kraft of Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio. The Echo organ was dedicated in 1924 with a recital played by Joseph Kershaw. During a building renovation in the 1970s the wind lines and electrical work to the Echo organ were dismantled. In 2001 Father Ted Durst initiated refurbishing during which time the Echo organ was again connected to the main organ. A re-dedicatory recital was played in 2002 by Deward Rahm of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois. (Sources: Centennial History; recital service bulletin)
•
Lake Linden and Hubbell
Heritage Center (former First Congregational Church), Lake Linden, MI. Property of Houghton County Historical Museum Society.
Garret House, Buffalo, New York, 1873–4, 2M/23 stops, tracker, installed 1887; cleaned, Dana Hull, 2001; cleaned and restored, blower replaced 2002, Helmut Schick, Ann Arbor, MI
Placement: left front of sanctuary, bench faces away from audience
GREAT
8' Open Diapason
8' Viol d’Amour (TC)
8' Stopped Diapason Bass
8' Melodia
4' Flute
4' Principal
2' Fifteenth
Tremolo
SWELL (enclosed)
8' Open Diapason
8' Clarabella (TC)
8' Stopped Diapason Bass
8' Stopped Diapason Treble
4' Violina
8' Hautboy (TC)
PEDAL
16' Bourdon
Couplers
Swell to Great
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Tracker (mechanical) action; parts and case are all hand-crafted
580 pipes, 12 ranks, 2 manuals, 25 pedals
Hitch-down Swell pedal
May be hand-winded (pumped)
The organ was built in 1873–74 in Buffalo, New York, shipped to Lake Linden, and then transported in 1874 to the Congregational Church in Calumet, which served the wealthy class during the copper boom era. It was replaced there by a larger instrument (Hook & Hastings of Boston) and returned, as a gift from the Calumet church, to the Lake Linden church.
The Lake Linden church was built in 1896 at the cost of $8,325. A museum piece in itself, the building was designed by Holabird & Roche of Chicago in the Victorian Stick style on a non-coursed mine-rock foundation. It was dedicated February 27, 1887, with the dedicatory service being played by Professor Roney, organist of the Michigan Grand Commander of the Knights Templar.
In the summer of 1887 a fire destroyed almost all of Lake Linden, but the frame Congregational Church survived. It housed eight families for several months until new homes were found. The congregation ceased as a church in 1979, and ownership was taken over by the Houghton County Historical Museum. Grants have helped to renovate plumbing, roofing, electrical wiring, heating, and repainting of the outside of the building.
Dana Hull, Ann Arbor, representative of the Organ Historical Society, and Helmut Schick of the University of Michigan cleaned and restored the organ during 2001 and 2002. A new blower replaced the original. (Sources: Taylor; The Daily Mining Gazette)
“Beautifully made, much detail and care; shows growth and refinement in an organ shipped to the hinterlands; finials, medallions in the casework, nice lines in the presentation; some expensive wood here and there, very well cut and finished; excellent pipework.” (Source: e-mail from David Short quoting Dana Hull and Helmut Schick, 10-04-01)
St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church
Guck Street, Hubbell, MI 49934; 906/296-6971.
A. B. Felgemaker, Erie, Pennsylvania, c1900, 2M, 12 ranks, tracker
Placement: gallery, rear of sanctuary
GREAT
8' Open Diapason
8' Flute
8' Dulciana
4' Octave
2' Super Octave
16' Bourdon
Bellows Signal
SWELL
8' Stopped Diapason
8' Viola
8' Aolina
4' Flute Harmonique
8' Oboe
PEDAL
16' Bourdon
Couplers
Swell to Great
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Tremolo
St. Cecilia Church, organized in 1893 to provide for German, French, and Irish immigrants, was an offshoot of St. Joseph’s Church in Lake Linden. The frame building was dedicated in 1893. It features a stained glass window of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of church music, playing an organ. (Source: e-mail from David Short, 2-14-06)
St. John’s Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod)
311 Guck Road, Torch Lake Township, Hubbell, MI; 906/296-1022.
Verlinden, 1M, 5 ranks, 1968, Roscoe Wheeler, Iron Mountain, Michigan; 2' flute added, Verlinden, 1977; rebuilt 2006, B. K. Kellogg & Associates*
Stoplist (257 pipes)
8' Open Diapason
8' Flute
8' String
4' Flute
2' Flute
4' Coupler
16' Coupler
Tremulant
*Rebuilding 2006 (354 pipes)
8' Principal
8' Holz Gedackt
8' Traverse Flute
8' Dulciana
8' Unda Maris TC
4' Octave
4' Traverse Flute
2' Octave
16' Coupler
4' Coupler
Tremulant
Crescendo pedal
No pedal organ
No presets
The church was formed on May 15, 1893 by twelve men who gave the congregation the name “Saint Johannes Congregation.” The white frame building was dedicated August 13, 1893. The organ was installed by Verlinden in 1968. The open pipes of this unique instrument are mounted in the rear gallery of the sanctuary. The rope for the steeple bell descends amidst the pipes. The console is placed at one end of the gallery. The first part of the dedication service in November 1968 was played on the existing electronic instrument. During the service the pastor, Frank J. Schulz, demonstrated the newly installed pipe organ, and the remainder of the service was played on that instrument. A 2' flute rank was added in 1977 as a memorial to the longtime organist.
The organ was rebuilt during 2006. Relay switches, console stop controls, key contacting systems and wiring were replaced, and the leather on the wind regulator, the tremulant and the wooden pipe stoppers renewed. Interior actions were reconditioned as needed and one rank of pipes was added. Cost was $16,000. (Source: e-mail from organist June Peterson, 2-4-06)
St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church
701 Calumet Street, Lake Linden, MI 49945; 906/296-6851.
Casavant Frères Opus 41, 1916, tubular pneumatic; overhauled by Pipe Organ Craftsmen, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1957; converted to electro-pneumatic, Verlinden, 1982; dismantled and cleaned, new console, J. A. Hebert & Son Associates, Troy, Michigan, 1995; enlarged to meet original specifications by Lauck Pipe Organ Company, Otsego, Michigan, 2001*. 2M/23 stops, 25 ranks, electro-pneumatic.
Placement: rear gallery, right side of console to front of church
GRAND-ORGUE
8' Montre 65 pipes
8' Melodia 65 pipes
8' Dulciana 65 pipes
4' Prestant 61 pipes
22⁄3' Quint* 61 pipes
2' Doublette* 61 pipes
III Fourniture* 183 pipes
8' Trompette* 61 pipes
4' Grand-Orgue to Grand-Orgue
RÉCIT (enclosed)
8' Principal 65 pipes
8' Bourdon 65 pipes
8' Viola di Gamba 65 pipes
8' Voix Céleste 53 pipes
4' Flute Harmonique 65 pipes
2' Octavin* 61 pipes
II Sesquialtera TC* 98 pipes
8' Hautbois 65 pipes
4' Chalumeau* 61 pipes
Tremulant
4' Récit to Récit
PÉDALE
16' Bourdon 30 pipes
16' Gedeckt 30 pipes
8' Flute Bouchée 12 pipes
4' Prestant* 32 pipes
16' Bombarde*(ext G-O) 12 pipes
4' Chalumeau Recit
Tirasses
8' Grand-Orgue/Pédale
4' Grand-Orgue/Pédale
8' Récit/Pédale
4' Récit/Pédale
16' Récit/Grand Orgue
8' Récit/Grand Orgue
4' Récit/Grand-Orgue
*Added stops 2001
23 stops, 25 ranks, 1340 pipes
Combination pistons:
6 thumb pistons, Swell
8 thumb pistons, Great
6 thumb pistons, Pedal
8 general pistons (thumb/toe)
8 memory levels - Peterson
St. Joseph Church was founded and the first building dedicated in 1871. In 1902 a new structure was built on the same site. The Casavant Frères organ was installed in the rear gallery in 1916 with the dedicatory recital played by the Rev. Father Dobblestein, O.Praem., thought to be from DePere, Wisconsin. The pipework is believed to have been made in Canada and the workmen from South Haven, Michigan. During the late 1990s, through the efforts of director of music and organist David Short and Father Eric Olson, the organ was cleaned and the console replaced. In 2001 twelve ranks were added by the Lauck Organ Company, Otsego, Michigan. (Source: church brochure)
Lake Linden United Methodist Church
53237 N. Avenue, Lake Linden, MI.
Lancashire-Marshall, Moline, Illinois, 1893, $2100, 2M/19 ranks, tracker, pneumatic assist pedal; Hugh Stahl, 1950
Placement: center front of chancel, keydesk back of pulpit facing the case
GREAT (58 notes)
8' Open Diapason
8' Dulciana
8' Melodia
4' Octave
4' Flute Harmonique
22⁄3' Twelfth
2' Fifteenth
16' Trompette
Tremolo
Pedal Check
Bellows Signal
SWELL (enclosed)
16' Lieblich Gedact
16' Bourdon Bass
8' Open Diapason
8' Stopped Diapason
8' Aeoline
8' Salicional
4' Flauto Traverso
4' Fugara
2' Flautino
8' Oboe
PEDAL (27 notes) (pneumatic)
16' Bourdon
8' Flute
Couplers
Swell to Great
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
5 pedal presets, loud to soft
Original cost: $2100
Additi
onal work done by Hugh Stahl
The Methodist Church was formed shortly after 1868, the year that two Methodist missionaries had been assigned to organize a Sunday School in the Lake Linden area. The present sanctuary was built and dedicated in 1886.
The organ was installed in 1893 and considered something of a “wonder.” At one point, an organist traveled to Lake Linden from Houghton and stayed the day so as to play both morning and evening services. The organ was originally winded by hand, and the blower was installed after World War I, much earlier than work done by Stahl. It is thought he may have worked on the pneumatics in the two pedal ranks, possibly doing needed repairs, and affixed the company tab to the keydesk at that time. Roscoe Wheeler of Iron Mountain, Michigan, did maintenance on the organ for many years prior to James Lauck taking over in 2001. (Source: e-mail from David Short, 2-14-06)
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
71 Michigan Ave., Rockland, MI.
Garret House, 1859. On board inside case: “1859 - Irish Hollow - Ontonagon - Lake Superior - Michigan”
The oldest pipe organ in Michigan, by 12 years. Thought by Dana Hull and Helmut Schick of Ann Arbor to be one of the first organs built by Garret House, possibly made from a template instrument, roughcut, less refined than the Lake Linden instrument. The congregation is still active. This organ must be restored.
(Source: Short)
Bibliography
Books, Pamphlets, Magazines
Butler, Ruth Gibson. Centennial History, 1860–1960. With photos from Mr. and Mrs. George Pruner. Hancock, MI: Trinity Episcopal Church [1960]
Fisher, James and Good, R. Allen. 100th Anniversary of the First Congregational Church, 1862–1962. Hancock, MI [1962]
Holmio, Armas K. E. History of the Finns in Michigan. Translated by Ellen M. Ryynanen. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2001.
Lankton, Larry. Beyond the Boundaries: Life and Landscape at the Lake Superior Copper Mines, 1840–1875. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
Monette, Clarence J. Churches of Hancock (Hancock, Michigan Remembered, vol. II; Twenty-fifth of a Local History Series). Lake Linden, MI: Welden H. Curtin, c1985.
Murdoch, Angus. Boom Copper: the Story of the First U.S. Mining Boom. New York: Macmillan, 1943. Nordberg, Erick. “From the Archives: Just like the Montreal Forum.” Michigan Tech Alumnus (April 2000), Houghton, MI: Michigan Technological University.
“Restoring the tracker organ—15th century design for the 21st century.” Newsletter (Fall 2001), Lake Linden, MI: Houghton County Historical Society.
Reynolds, Terry S. Grace of Houghton: A History of Grace United Methodist Church, Houghton, Michigan, first edition. Houghton, MI: Grace United Methodist Church, 2004.
Thurner, Arthur W. Strangers and Sojourners: a History of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1994.
Brochures and Bulletins
Blessing and rededication of the organ. [Service bulletin, April 22, 2001.] St. Joseph Church, Lake Linden, MI.
[Brochure with photos (c1984) by Eric Munch]. St. Paul the Apostle Church, Calumet, MI. [n.d.]
Celebrating 140 Years: 1861–2001. First United Methodist Church, Hancock, MI.
Brochure about Estey Organ Museum. Brattleboro, VT, February 2006.
Historic Churches of Calumet. Research and technical assistance by Ed Yarbrough and the Keweenaw National Historic Park. Calumet Heritage Celebration 2001 Committee.
Keweenaw Family Resource Center: Benefit organ recital [Service Bulletin, October 13, 2002]. Trinity Episcopal Church. Houghton, MI.
Organ dedicatory service & recital [Service Bulletin, March 29, 1998]. Sts. Peter & Paul Lutheran Church, Hancock, MI: 1998.
Stetter, Charles. How Our New Pipe Organ Came About [Service Bulletin, November 5, 1970. Organ Dedication]. Mimeographed copy of original kept in the organ chamber. Calumet Congregational Church.
The History of the First Congregational Church of Lake Linden: now the Houghton Country Heritage Center. Program production by Andrew McInnes. Houghton County Heritage Center [Lake Linden, MI: n.d.].
Work to be done on the pipe organ of St. Joseph Church. [Brochure with photos] St. Joseph Church, Lake Linden, MI, n.d.]
Newspaper Articles
“Arts, Culture & Heritage.” The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI), July 31, 1994.
Burack, Susan. “The Organs of Lake Linden: carrying the tune of tradition.” The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI), July 31, 1994.
“Church marks 110 years.” The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI), August 8, 2003.
“First Presbyterian Church of Houghton buys Maxcy organ.” The Daily Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI) [1930–33?] [photocopy].
Fisher, Nancy Beth. “Saving the music; restoring the 1874 Garret House organ.” The Marquette Monthly: arts & humanities (Marquette, MI), August, 2001. “Museum gets grant for organ.” The Marquette Monthly: arts & humanities (Marquette, MI), July, 2001.
Taylor, Richard. “Renowned organist to dedicate restored organ in Lake Linden.” The Marquette Monthly: arts & humanities (Marquette, MI), August 2003.
E-mail Notes and Personal Sources
Arten, Kathleen. Organist, Community Church, Calumet, MI.
Halkola, David and Viola. Members, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
Hokenson, Ron. Pastor, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1960s.
List, Jan. Organist, St. Paul MSL Church, Laurium, MI.
Peterson, June. 2 February 2006. Organist, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Hubbell, MI.
Photo St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Dawson City, Yukon, 1995, taken by author.
Seaton, Lois Isaac. Member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
Short, David. Numerous e-mail notes and conversations. Director of Music and Organist, St. Joseph’s RC Church, Lake Linden, MI.
Waisanen, Carol. 13 February 2006. Organist, First United Methodist Church, Hancock, MI.
[Correspondence from Fabry, Inc. with Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 9 July 2001]
