Database Manager on December 28th, 2007:
Updated through on-line information from Joel Gary. -- Several years ago when I operated a pipe organ business in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I was invited to look over the organ at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The organ was unplayable at this time (1998). It certainly was not an E. M. Skinner Organ! The basis of this monstrosity was the Chicago Music Hall Johnson Organ built in the 1880s. It was moved to Holy Trinity and partially installed by David Skinner. The job was never completed and most of the large pedal stops were never winded, wired or even had chests. There was an excessively large two-manual drawknob console controlling four divisions (Swell, Unenclosed Great, Enclosed Great and Pedal). The manual chests were the old Austin Universal type with direct electric actions installed. There was a conglomeration of old (most likely Johnson), newer Durst and Organ Supply pipework from different vintages. The church was very unhappy over the entire ordeal with Mr. Skinner. I'm sorry to say that it left them with an extremely negative opinion of pipe organs and pipe organ builders - can you blame them? I was somewhat involved in the dismantling and dispersement of the organ parts. This instrument was indeed replaced by a three-manual Allen.
Database Manager on August 27th, 2005:
Identified through on-line information from David Kinyon. -- I know little about this instrument other than what the current Director and some AGO members know. It was a relocated Skinner from a downtown GR church. It served Holy Trinity for many years, but began to wear out and was not taken care of. It had a beautiful pipe façade in the front of the church. By the 1980s it was becoming unreliable and unplayable. A local builder attempted to restore and repair, but the disastorous results rendered the instrument unplayable a few years later. It fell silent and was replaced in 1998 by a Digital substitute. It was broken up for parts. By all accounts it had a beautiful smooth Skinner sound, but in a very dead room which hindered its success as a Skinner. The console was beautiful, but sadly, nobody seems to miss it.