Emanuel United Church of Christ - Woodhaven (Queens), N.Y.
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Emanuel United Church of Christ

93-12 91st Avenue at Woodhaven Boulevard
Woodhaven (Queens), N.Y. 11421


Organ Specifications:
93-12 91st Avenue at Woodhaven Boulevard (since 1939)
► II/12 W.W. Kimball Co. (1923); enlarged (1951)
► II/9 W.W. Kimball Co. (1923) – moved from previous church (1939)
Woodhaven Boulevard at 89th Avenue (1913-1938)
Second building (1924-1938)
► II/9 W.W. Kimball Co. (1923)
First building (1913-1924)
► II/8 Estey Organ Company, Op. 306 (1906) – moved (1922)



Emanuel United Church of Christ in Woodhaven began as a mission of St. Paul's Reformed Church for German immigrants who were moving from Manhattan to Brooklyn and Queens. On May 6, 1877, the society met for the first time in a storefront on Delmonico Place in Brooklyn, and immediately began plans to construct or purchase a church building. Organized as the Emanuel German Reformed Church, the society acquired a vacant church building on Graham Street in East New York, and soon established a school for German students. By their 25th Anniversary in 1902, the Emanuel congregation had over 500 members and over 400 students in both of their schools (one German, one English).

In 1909, a separate mission was begun in a storefront in Richmond Hill. That society purchased a plot at Woodhaven Boulevard and 89th Avenue for a permanent edifice, but due to financial restraints erected a "portable church" building. With the onset of the Great War (1914-1918), most if not all German-language societies were conflicted with the fighting in Europe and congregations diminished.

In 1922, Emanuel and the congregation in Queens decided to merge, pooling their resources to erect a church building that was completed in 1924 at a cost of over $100,000. The combined congregation struggled with the debt of the new building until a parishioner, Frederick Wallmann, passed away and left the church $43,000. In 1938, the City of New York planned to widen Woodhaven Boulevard, necessitating that the building be torn down.

With the proceeds from the City, the congregation purchased a plot on the corner of 91st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, where they built the present Gothic church building that was completed in 1939.

In 1972 the congregation became affiliated with the United Church of Christ denomination and is commonly known as Emanuel United Church. In 2012 the church began sharing its building with Grace Baptist Church, previously located in Richmond Hill.
         
  W.W. Kimball organ in Emanuel United Church of Christ - Woodhaven (Queens), N.Y. (credit: Gregg Patruno)
   
  Emanuel United Church of Christ - Woodhaven (Queens), N.Y. (credit: Gregg Patruno)
W.W. Kimball Co.
Chicago, Ill. (1923); reb. (1939, 1951, 2009)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 21 stops, 12 ranks





The organ in Emanuel Church was originally built in 1923 by the W.W. Kimball Co. of Chicago, and installed in the previous church building. In 1939, the organ was moved to the present building, as described in the following entry.

In 1951 three stops (16'-8' Quintaton, 4' Principal, and Mixture II) were added and installed in the previously empty chamber on the left side of the chancel. At an unknown time, a Schulmerich electronic carillon with its separate mini-keyboard was added. In 2009 the organ was restored by Elsener Organ Works of Deer Park, N.Y.

The pipecounts below are suggested.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
Open Diapason
73
  Chimes
8
Melodia
73
  Great Sub 16'
8
Dulciana
73
  Great Super 4'
8
*
 Quintaton
61
  Great Unison Off 8'
4
Flute Overt [ext.]
—
  Swell Sub 16'
4
*
 Principal
61
  Swell Unison 8'
*
 Mixture II [1 rank repeating?]
?
  Swell Super 4'
Tremolo
 
* added in 1951
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [unit]
97
2
   Flageolet
—
8
   Geigen Principal
73
8
   Cornopean Solo
73
8
   Rohr Flute
—
  Tremolo
8
   Salicional
73
  Swell Sub 16'
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
61
  Swell Super 4'
4
   Flute d'Amour
—
  Swell Unison Off 8'
2 2/3
  Nazard
—
   
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Still Gedeckt
SW
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
  Great Unison 8'
16
   Quintaton [ext. GT]
12
  Swell Unison 8'
8
   Flute [from Bourdon]
—
  Swell Super 4'
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell & Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4
Great & Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Great/Pedal   Chimes
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Swell   Chimes Sustain
    Crescendo Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
        Sforzando
         
W.W. Kimball Co.
Chicago, Ill. (1923); moved (1939)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 17 stops, 9 ranks



In 1923 the congregation commissioned the W.W. Kimball Co. of Chicago, to build an organ for their new building on Woodhaven Boulevard and 89th Avenue. This organ had two manuals and nine ranks of pipes.

In 1939 the organ was moved to the present building where it was installed in a chamber at the right side of the chancel. The detached console was located on the left side, facing the organ chamber. The following stoplist is deduced from the organ today, minus 1951 additions. Pipecounts are suggested, based on similar Kimball organs of the era.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
Open Diapason
73
4
   Flute Overt [ext.]
—
8
Melodia
73
  Tremolo
8
Dulciana
73
   
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [unit]
97
4
   Flute d'Amour
—
8
   Geigen Principal
73
2 2/3
   Nazard
—
8
   Rohr Flute
—
2
   Flageolet
—
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Cornopean Solo
73
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
61
  Tremolo
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Flute [from Bourdon]
—
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
8
   Still Gedeckt
SW
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Great/Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Swell   Sforzando
    Crescendo Pedal    
         
Organ in previous church:

Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 306 (1906)
Tubular-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 8 stops, 8 ranks


This organ was built in 1906 for Emanuel German-American Reformed Church of East New York, and was moved to Woodhaven after the two congregations merged in 1922. The following specifications were recorded (March 1922) by Louis F. Mohr & Co., an organ service concern in the area.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Dulciana
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Oboe [TC]
49
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
  Tremolo
4
   Flute Harmonic
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Bourdon
30
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal   Swell to Great
    Swell to Pedal   Swell to Great Octaves
               
Pedal Movement
    Balanced Swell Pedal      
           
Sources:
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site: www.esteyorgan.com
     Fogarty, Lisa. "Worshippers in tune with church's needs," Queens Chronicle (May 14, 2009).
     Haberstroh, Richard. The German Churches of Metropolitan New York: A Research Guide. New York: The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 2000.
     LoCasto, Charles. Stoplist of W.W. Kimball organ (1923/1951)
     Mohr, Louis F. & Co. Specifications of Estey Organ, Op. 306 (1906). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Patruno, Gregg. Electronic correspondence (Apr. 8, 2013) with information about the W.W. Kimball organ.
     United Church of Christ web site: http://www.ucc.org/
     Wendell, Ed. "Emanuel Church Celebrates 135th Anniversary," Leader/Observer (May 2, 2012).

Illustration:
     Google Street View. Exterior.
     Patruno, Gregg. Interior and Kimball console (2013).