Washington Avenue Baptist Church - Brooklyn, NY
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Brown Memorial Baptist Church

484 Washington Avenue at Gates Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238
http://www.brownmemorialbaptist.org


Organ Specifications:
484 Washington and Gates Avenues (since 1958)
► III/36 Reuben Midmer & Sons (1912)
629 Herkimer Street near Schenectady Avenue (1922-1958)
• unknown
1648 Fulton Street (1916-1922)
• unknown


The Brown Memorial Baptist Church, founded in 1916, had their first church building on Fulton Street. In 1922, the congregation moved to Herkimer Street where they remained for 36 years. In 1958, Brown Memorial moved to its present location on Washington Avenue where they worship in a building erected in 1860 for the Washington Avenue Baptist Church.
             
Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1912)
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 35 stops, 36 ranks


A new organ for Washington Avenue Baptist Church was built in 1912 by Reuben Midmer & Sons of Brooklyn, at a cost of $2,950. The following specifications are from the files of Louis F. Mohr & Co., an organ service concern in the area. Charles Scharpeger recorded the specifications on November 12, 1937, and Louis F. Mohr, Jr. provided additional details on December 27, 1961. The status of this organ is unknown.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Flute Harmonique
61
8
   Viola d'Gamba
61
4
   Gambetta
61
8
   Clarinet Flute
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   Doppel Flute
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Flute Traverso
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   Salicional
61
     Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Aeoline
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Stop Diapason
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Quintadena
61
     Tremulant  
4
   Violina
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Violin Diapason
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Dolcissimo
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Unda Maris
49
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
     Tremulant  
4
   Fugara
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Bourdon
30
8
   Violoncello
30
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8'   Choir to Great 16', 8'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-0
Great Organ Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-0
Choir Organ Pistons No. 1-2-0
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Choir Pedal   Sforzando Pedal
    Crescendo Pedal      
             
Sources:
     Brown Memorial Baptist Church website: http://www.brownmemorialbaptist.org
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Mohr, Louis F. & Co. Specifications of Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (<1917); courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Reuben Midmer & Sons Ledger Book entry (Dec. 20, 1912) with cost of organ for Washington Avenue Baptist Church. Courtesy Larry Trupiano.

Illustration:
     Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Exterior of Washington Avenue Baptist Church (1929).