1992-12-03 - Console (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)
2007-05-05 - Organ and chancel (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)
2005-06-07 - Identified through online information from James R. Stettner. -- The action was electrified by Spokane organ builder George Graham in the 1950's. Otherwise, tonally intact and original. -Database Manager
2007-01-28 - Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -- The original console was a standard Kimball rolltop console with stops controlled by drawknobs having oblique faces, and projecting from an angled board on each side of the manuals. The original pedal compass was 30 notes, and when the organ was electrified by George Graham, the new Klann console had a 32-note pedalboard, but the pedal stops were not increased by two pipes and so still play for 30 notes. -Database Manager
2015-12-13 - Updated through online information from Sean Haley: Further changes to the organ included the addition of a 32' electronic extension of the Pedal 16' Violone circa 1990's. The 16' Open Diapason (metal) in the Pedal was deleted for this change. Around the same time the combination action in the console was updated to an electronic combination action with several levels of memory. The instrument is in desperate need of complete restoration. -Database Manager
2016-10-12 - Updated through online information from James R. Stettner: The Choir 4' Flute d'Amour had its stoppers releathered by Meadway & Stettner of Monroe, Washington ca. 2003. In 2016, the dwindling congregation disbanded and the building is for sale. The fate of the organ is presently unknown. -Database Manager
Original document from James R. Stettner. Source: Stoplist copied from the console December 3, 1992; verified & updated: June 27, 1997 2017-09-14
Spokane, WA
Central United Methodist Church
W.W. KIMBALL CO., Op ____, c. 1905
Geo. W. Graham, 1950's - Electrification
GREAT SWELL (Expressive)
16 Double Open Diapason 61 16 Bourdon 61
8 Open Diapason 61 8 Violin Diapason 61
8 Doppel Flute 61 8 Stopped Diapason 61
8 Gamba 61 8 Salicional 61
8 Dulciana 61 8 Vox Celeste (tc) 49
4 Principal 61 8 Aeoline 61
2 Fifteenth 61 4 Flute Traverso 61
8 Orch. Trumpet 61 8 Cornopean 61
8 Oboe 61
Great Unison Off 8 Vox Humana 61
Great to Great 4' blank
Tremolo
Swell to Swell 16'
Choir (Expressive) Swell Unison Off
8 Open Diapason 61 Swell to Swell 4'
8 Melodia 61
8 Dulciana 61
4 Flute d'Amour 61
2 Piccolo 61 PEDAL
8 Clarinet 61 16 Open Diapason [wood] 30
Tremolo 16 Violone 30
Chimes (Maas; tf-c3) (32) 16 Bourdon 30
8 Flute 30
Choir Unison Off
Choir to Choir 4'
FINGER PISTONS
General 1 – 4
COUPLERS Swell 1 - 4
Swell to Great 8,4 Sw. to Ped. (rev)
Great to Pedal 8,4 Great 1 – 4
Choir to Pedal 8,4 Gt. to Ped. (rev)
Choir 1 – 4
Swell to Great 16,8,4 Ch. to Ped. (rev)
Choir to Great 8,4 Sforz. (rev)
G.C.
Swell to Choir 8,4
PEDAL MOVEMENTS
TOE STUDS Swell Expression (bal.)
Gr. - Ped. Rev. (rev) Choir Expression (bal.)
Sforz. Rev. (rev) Crescendo (bal.)
ACTION: E-P primary VOICES: 28 STOPS: 29 RANKS: 28 PIPES: 1,572
(inc. chimes)
NOTES
Central United Methodist Church has its beginnings in First Methodist Episcopal Church
who built their first building on the SW corner of Sprague and Washington in 1881. Circa
1887, a new brick church was built at the same site. In 18__, the present site at the NE
corner of Third and Howard was purchased, and a temporary tabernacle was erected on the
site at which time the brick church on Sprague and Washington was sold for $35,000.00.
In 1894, the quarterly conference voted 18 to 6 to build a new edifice at Third and
Howard to replace the tabernacle. This was known as the "Little White Church". It housed
a II-manual, 38-register Hook & Hastings tracker action instrument built in 1902 as that
firm's opus 1944. Both church and organ were destroyed by fire at 2:00 a.m. on April 16,
1905. In the interim after the fire, Sunday school was held at Central Christian Church.
Worship was conducted at the Spokane Theatre located at First and Post.
99 people were so upset by the decision to build the new church that they left First
Methodist Episcopal in 1895 to form Vincent Methodist Episcopal. They first met at Simons
Hall on the corner of Sprague and Howard. Next they erected a small church on the SW
corner of First and Wall. Finally, they erected a brick church at Main and Lincoln. This
was the first Spokane church to have a pipe organ. It was a large 2-manual instrument
installed in 1901.
A quarterly conference was called after the April 16 fire, and a unanimous vote was
reached to build a new church on the same location - to cost +/- $50,000.00. This is the
present edifice. The cornerstone was laid in 1905. By the fall of 1906, the basement was
being used for some activities and worship. On May 26, 1907, the new sanctuary was used
for the first time.
The origins of the Kimball organ have been a bit obscure and uncertain until now.
According to a pipe organ compilation authored in the 1960's by Balcom and Vaughan tonal
director Eugene M. Nye, the Kimball now at Central United Methodist was originally built
for Vincent M.E. Church. However, Vincent did not merge with First M.E. to form Central
Methodist until 1918, 23 years after the split. Photographs in Central United Methodist's
archives show the present organ in 1910, so it must have originally been built for the
1906 building. Further research has also revealed that the Vincent M.E. Church Kimball
was relocated to the Methodist Church in Ellensburg, WA.
The organ as originally built had an detached, drawknob console below the elevated organ
and on the main floor in front of the podium. The action was tubular-pneumatic to ventil
chests. In the 1950's, the primaries were electrified and a new Klann tilting tablet
console was provided to replace the original. This was done by George A. Graham of
Spokane.
There are presently 37 pipes in the façade of which 12 are from the Great 8' Open
Diapason. The impost is drilled for two more corner pipes, but the slope of the arch
evidently did not permit their installation.
The Choir 4' Flute d'Amour had its stoppers releathered in the 1990's by Meadway & Stettner of Monroe, Washington.
Sources: Church history and photos; JRS; extant, electrified (but tonally unaltered)
organ.
Central United Methodist
W. 518 Third Ave.
Spokane, WA. 99204 Documented: December 3, 1992
(509) 838-1431 Verified & updated: June 27, 1997
Original document from James R. Stettner. Source: Stoplist copied from console stop controls December 3, 1992; verified & updated: June 27, 1997
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