2005-06-24 - Identified through online information from James R. Stettner. -- -Database Manager
2007-05-12 - Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -Database Manager
Stoplist copied from the console in 1995 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
Auburn, Washington
Residence: Dr. Ernest Ford
W.W. KIMBALL CO., Opus ____, 1913
Balcom & Vaughan Pipe Organs, Inc., SC 872, 1993-95 - "Rebuild"
GREAT (Expressive w/Ch) SWELL (Expressive)
8 Gemshorn 61 8 Gambe 61
8 Bourdon 61 8 Celeste (tc) 49
4 Principal 61 8 Fl. a Cheminee 61
2-2/3 Quinte 61 4 Flauto Traverso 61
2 Octave 12 2 Flauto Traverso 12
1-3/5 Tierce (prep) -- blank
[ ] Mixture (prep) -- 8 Clarinet (Ch) --
blank Tremulant
Swell to Swell 16'
PEDAL (Expressive) Swell to Swell 4'
16 Soubasse 32
16 Rohrbass (Ped/Sw) --
blank CHOIR (Expressive w/Gt)
8 Bourdon (Sw) -- 8 Quintadena 61
8 Gemshorn (Gt) -- 4 Bourdon (Gt) 12
4 Principal (Gt) -- 2 Principal (Gt) --
8 Clarinet (Sw) -- 1-1/3 Quinte 61
4 Clarinet (Sw) -- 8 Clarinet (Sw) 61
COUPLERS PEDAL MOVEMENTS
Swell to Pedal 8 Swell Expression (bal.)
Great to Pedal 8 Gt/Ch Expression (bal.)
Choir to Pedal 8 Crescendo (bal.)
Swell to Great 16,8,4
Choir to Great 8,4
Swell to Choir 16,8,4
ACTION: E-M VOICES: 12 STOPS: 23 RANKS: 12 PIPES: 725
NOTES
This organ was originally built in 1913 for the Columbia Theatre in Portland, OR. It
was moved to Sunnyside Congregational Church at an undocumented time by an unknown
person or firm. The organ operated by tubular-pneumatic action.
In 1949, the organ was electrified by Balcom and Vaughan. The chests were releathered,
and the console was converted to an all-electric action. The console shell, keyboards,
pedalboard, and bench were retained. A new stop rail and stop tablets replaced the
originals. New expression and crescendo rollers were installed. As reinstalled, the
organ had three manuals and pedal controlling Great, Swell, Choir, a floating Echo,
and Pedal divisions. There were 22 independent registers, 24 speaking stops (including
chimes), 22 ranks, and 1,484 pipes. The organ had no combination action.
Sunnyside Congregational Church later changed its name to Staub Memorial Congregational
Church. At some later date, the congregation was dissolved. A new group of people took
over the building and it became known as the City Church. That church merged with another
group in 1978 to form the Portland Bible Fellowship.
In 1986, the Portland Bible Fellowship sold the organ to Redeemer Lutheran Church in
Gresham, OR. For $5,000.00. Redeemer Lutheran had planned to have the organ refurbished
and installed in their new sanctuary. However, after acquiring the instrument, they dis-
covered that it was too large for their worship space, and that considerable alterations
would have to be made to the building, or the organ would have to be reduced substantially
in size to fit the space. The organ was then placed in storage in the basement and in a
garage until a buyer could be found.
The organ was sold to Dr. Ernest Ford of Auburn, WA. in 1992 for $2,000.00. The organ was
modified and reinstalled in his home beginning in 1993. The original, water-damaged chests
were replaced with new electro-mechanical chests built by Balcom and Vaughan. The original
console was again fitted with new stoptablets to reflect the new stoplist. A Peterson solid
state relay controls switching.
On the Great, the 8' Gemshorn is original. The 8' Bourdon is the original Swell 8' Stopped
Diapason. The 4' Principal/2' Octave unit is new as is the 2-2/3' Quinte.
On the Swell, the 8' Gambe and Celeste are original, but rescaled larger. The 8' Flute a
Cheminee is an original stopped wood bass of either the Choir 8' Concert Flute or the Echo
8' Hohl Flute combined with the original Choir 4' Flute d'Amour. The 4' Flauto Traverso is
original to the Swell, and the 8' Clarinet is original to the Choir.
On the Choir, the 8' Quintadena is original. The 1-1/3' Quinte was made from a used Dulciana.
On the Pedal, the 16' Soubasse (placed in the Swell chamber) is original. The 16' Rohrbass
has its first 12 notes taken from the 16' Soubasse on soft wind, and the balance is from
the Swell 8' Flute a Cheminee.
Sources: Original Kimball installation; JRS (as a Balcom & Vaughan employee); extant organ.
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