1950s - Church exterior (Postcard: https://www.cardcow.com/382532/las-cruces-first-presbyterian-church-new-mexico//Rev. Dr. Van Herd)
Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2024-11-23 - This entry represents the installation of a used organ by the members of the church. According to the current (Nov. 2024) church website (https://www.fpc.lc/musicians/): "In 1925, the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church, Las Cruces, New Mexico purchased a parcel of land at the intersection of Las Cruces Avenue and Raymond Street, and set out to build a new church on the site. A man who lived across the street from the land, who was not a member of the congregation, was enthusiastic about the prospect of having a good neighbor. He expressed his delight to the Session of First Presbyterian Church by saying he would purchase a pipe organ and have it installed in the new church." "He had read that the Roxy Theatre in New York City was offering its pie organ for sale. Immediately he made contact with the management of the theatre and succeeded in buying the instrument. He had it crated and shipped by ocean freighter from New York City to New Orleans. En route, the freighter ran into a violent storm. The crates were tossed about in the hold of the vessel, the crates burst open, and parts of the organ were scattered about and badly damaged. The vessel continued its course and docked in New Orleans. Pieces of the organ were gathered, re-crated, placed on freight cars and shipped to Las Cruces." "Men in the congregation set about reconstructing the organ. They were successful. It was maintained through its years of service by laymen. Mr. Roy France, an auto mechanic, was the chief artisan. He could be seen on a Saturday afternoon sitting on a pew, cutting shoe leather, then fitting a piece into a crack." -Jim Stettner
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