Pipe Organ Database

The York Gazette and Daily, May 9, 1953, announced the signing of the contract:

 Trustees of Duke Street Methodist church last night signed a contract for a new two-manual pipe organ to replace the present 48-year-old organ.
     Rev. Forest R. Stonge, pastor, reported that the organ, made by Wicks, is to be installed in July and will cost about $,000. The money is being raised through gifts from friends and members of the church.
     The congregation will decide tomorrow whether chimes are to be purchased along with the organ.

The newspaper reported the impending shipment of the organ on June 29, 1953:

  A progress report for the new organ fund at Duke Street Methodist church yesterday revealed that over half of the $5,200 goal has been reached.
        Rev. Forest R. Stonge, pastor, announced that a total of $2,400 has been donated to date.
        The new instrument, a Wick's [*sic*] pipe organ, is to be shipped to York this week. Installation is scheduled to be completed during July, Rev. Stonge said.
        The present organ in the church is 48 years old. It is to be traded in on the new instrument.
        It was also announced yesterday that another $500 has been donated to the church renovation fund.

The organ arrived in York on July 2 (York Dispatch, July 3, 1953):

 Two new pipe organs to be installed in city churches, the First Church of Christ Scientist, 401 East Market street, and the Duke Street Methodist Church, Duke street and College avenue, arrived in York yesterday.
     The organs, purchased from the Wicks Oregan [*sic*] Company of Highland, Ill., were conveyed here by truck. The installation of the organs will be supervised by William H. Rowland, of Reading, Pa., the Eastern representative of the Wicks Organ Company, who drew specifications for both organs. . . .
     The organ for the 92-year-old Duke Street Church, a Dulciana, with 21 chimes will cost $5,250 and will be placed in the back of the old organ case work, facing the auditorium. The console will be detached facing both chancel and choir. The Duke Street Church, served by the Rev. Forest E. [*sic*] Stonge, has announced a tentative date for its organ dedication as Sept. 20. It has been arranged to take place exactly 48 years after the dedication of the old organ.

The dedication appears to have been rescheduled, for the Gazette and Daily announced on November 7, 1953: "Duke Street Methodist church formally will dedicate its new two-manual pipe organ and its redecorated sanctuary tomorrow at an 11 a.m. service. A music program of dedication is planned for 7 p.m." This statement was followed by details of the speaker at the morning service and the soloists and music at the evening service.

Sources:

"Duke St. Church to Dedicate New Organ, Sanctuary," York Gazette and Daily, Saturday morning, November 7, 1953, 6, Newspapers.com, accessed June 6, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/386725338/.

"Duke St. Methodist to Get New Organ," York Gazette and Daily, Saturday morning, May 9, 1953, 8, Newspapers.com, accessed June 4, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/386727573/.

"Half of Organ Fund Goal at Duke Street Church Is Reached," York Gazette and Daily, Monday morning, June 29, 1953, 7, Newspapers.com, accessed June 2, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/386742739/.

"New Organs Arrive," York Dispatch, Friday evening, July 3, 1953, 10, Newspapers.com, accessed June 2, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/614082827/.