Church of the Guardian Angel (Roman Catholic) in New York City
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Church of the Guardian Angel
(Roman Catholic)

193 Tenth Avenue at 21st Street
New York, N.Y. 10011
http://home.nyc.rr.com/guardianangelnyc/
           
The parish of the Guardian Angel, originally located at 513 West 23rd Street, was founded in 1888. As the Hudson River and its bustling waterfront piers were only a block away, the church ministered to seamen in its earlier years. In the 1930s, under an agreement between the New York Central Railroad, New York State, and New York City, plans were made to elevate the area's dangerous and congesting railroad traffic above city streets. Unfortunately, the church's 1910 building, designed by George H. Streeton, was directly in the path of the planned elevated viaduct (later known as the "High Line").

Church of the Guardian Angel (Roman Catholic) in New York City  
The solution was to move the church to its present location on Tenth Avenue at 21st Street, a feat allegedly financed by the New York Central Railroad. A new church, designed by John V. Van Pelt in the Southern Sicilian Romanesque style, was completed in 1930. The brick and limestone facade features a portal and deep porch with lavishly sculptured sides. It is decorated with bas relief depicting events from the early life of Christ. As completed, the now-dormant High Line tracks are directly behind the chancel windows.
           
Geo. Kilgen & Son
St. Louis, Mo. – Opus 4595 (1930)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 11 stops, 10 ranks


The organ in Guardian Angel Church was built in 1930 by Geo. Kilgen & Son of St. Louis. The two-manual stop-key console is attached to the wide but shallow case in the rear gallery.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, unenclosed
8
   Open Diapason
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Melodia
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Stopped Diapason
73
4
   Flute Harmonic
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Oboe [TC]
61
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
61
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Bourdon
32
        
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [lo-press.]
—
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great 16', 4', Unison Off
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Crescendo Pedal   Sforzando
           
Sources:
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Guardian Angel Church web site: http://home.nyc.rr.com/guardianangelnyc/
     Mahanor, Tali. Specifications of Geo. Kilgen & Son Organ, Op. 4595 (1930).
     Medieval New York web site: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/plaut.html

Illustrations:
     Guardian Angel Church web site.