First Church of Christ, Scientist and Olympia Temple - Far Rockaway (Queens), N.Y.
  Christian Science Church and Olympia Temple
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Masonic Temple

1845 Mott Avenue, near Broadway
Far Rockaway (Queens), N.Y. 11691


Organ Specifications:
1845 Mott Avenue (1911-c.1970)
► II/6 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 1160 (1910)
• Unknown builder – moved from previous location
Central Avenue (1900-1911) – Horton Building, 4th Floor
• Unknown builder



The Masonic Temple of Far Rockaway, located on Mott Avenue, was erected by the Olympia Lodge, No. 808, of the Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons. Olympia Lodge was granted a dispensation on June 23, 1893, and received its charter on June 7, 1894. For the first six years, the Lodge met in a brick building on Central Avenue, after which headquarters were changed to the fourth floor of the Horton Building, also on Central Avenue, and continued there for eleven years.

Plans to erect a permanent temple began as early as August 1907, when a fair was held in the Horton Building for the purpose of raising funds. Finally, on February 22, 1910 (Washington's Birthday), the cornerstone for the new Masonic Temple was laid, with impressive ceremonies led by William L. Swan, past custodian of the work, acting as Grand Master. Designed in the Greek style, the three-story structure had a frontage of 45 feet and a depth of 102. Its Mott Avenue façade was of composite stone with four massive Doric columns 24 feet in height, above which was an entablature and pediment, while the remainder of the building was of brick and steel. On the first floor were the library, cloak room, and the large athenasum, while the basement contained the banquet hall, kitchen, boiler and fuel rooms. The second floor had ante rooms and preparatory rooms in the front part of the building, and in the rear was the two-story lodge room, 38 by 73 feet, that was decorated in the Ionic style with pilasters. On the top floor was a large room that would be fitted up as the lodge required.

Sometime in the 1970s, the temple was sold. It is now home to the Refuge Church of Christ, as seen in the above photo.
             
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 1160 (1910)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 11 registers, 6 stops, 6 ranks


The Agreement (June 30, 1910) between M.P. Möller and Olympia Lodge A.F. & A.M. #808 of Far Rockaway, N.Y., states that Möller would build a two-manual organ with six ranks of pipes on duplex action. Möller provided casing of birch wood and a console that had tilting tablets for the stop action. Möller also agreed to "finish labor to dismantle present organ in old Hall and re-erect it in good order in new Hall." The new organ was to be complete and ready for use on or before the 1st day of September 1910, or as soon thereafter as possible. A notation on the Agreement indicates the organ was shipped on Dec. 23, 1910.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Flute Harmonique
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Oboe Gamba (labial)
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Dulciana
GT
4
   Flute Harmonique
GT
8
   Stopped Diapason
GT
8
   Oboe Gamba
GT
8
   Unda Maris (TC)
49
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Bourdon (ext. Op. Diap.)
12
        
               
Couplers
    Swell to Pedal   Swell to Great 4'
    Great to Pedal   Swell to Great 16'
               
Mechanicals
    Tremulant       Crescendo Indicator  
    Wind Indicator          
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Grand Crescendo Pedal    
             
Unknown Builder


In the Agreement (June 30, 1910) between M.P. Möller and Olympia Lodge A.F. & A.M. #808 of Far Rockaway, N.Y., Möller agreed to "finish labor to dismantle present organ in old Hall and re-erect it in good order in new Hall." No further information has been located. It is possible this was a reed organ.
               
Sources:
     The American Tyler-Keystone (May 20, 1910. Untitled item about laying of cornerstone.
     Bellot, Alfred H. "Fraternal Orders, Civic and Business Associations." History of the Rockaways From the Year 1685 to 1917. Far Rockaway, N.Y.: Bellot's Histories, Inc., 1917.
     "Dedicated Their New Masonic Home," Brooklyn Daily Star (Jan. 27, 1911).
     "Far Rockaway's Charities," The New York Times (July 21, 1907).
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Agreement (June 30, 1910) for M.P. Möller organ, Op. 1160.

Illustration:
     The Leiman Library  (Kew Gardens Hills, N.Y.) website: http://leimanlibrary.com. Undated postcard of Christian Science Church and Olympia Temple. Courtesy James Lewis.