Union Congregational Church - Richmond Hill (Queens), N.Y.
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Union Congregational Church

86-15 114th Street
Richmond Hill (Queens), N.Y. 11418


Organ Specifications:
86-15 114th Street (1902-2008)
• Allen Organ Company electronic (1980s)
• III/33 Tellers-Kent, Op. 344 (1925)
► II/11 E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings, Op. 915 (1878)
Park Street (c.1886-1902)
• unknown


The Union Congregational Church was organized in 1884 with an inaugural service at Association Hall, located in a loft over a store. Within two years, the society purchased a new frame building on Park Street for their services. In 1893, the close proximity of steam and electric roads caused such disturbances that the church began to search for a new location. In 1902, the society built a new church at 86-15 114th Street. In November, 2008, the building became home to the Global Christian Ministries Church, a pentecostal congregation.
         
Allen Organ Company
Macugnie, Penn. (1980s)
Electronic tonal generation


A new Allen electronic organ was installed in the 1980s. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Tellers-Kent Organ Co.
Erie, Penn. – Opus 344 (1925)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 33 stops


In 1925, the Tellers-Kent Organ Company installed a new three-manual organ. A plaque near the empty console chassis indicates that a new console was installed in 1956. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings
Boston, Mass. – Opus 915 (1878)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 11 stops, 11 ranks


This organ was originally built in 1878 for Pilgrim Chapel in Brooklyn. At an unknown time it was moved to Union Congregational Church.

The following specification was recorded by an employee of Louis F. Mohr & Co., a longtime organ service firm in the area. Mohr's specification (dated Feb. 18, 1911) shows that the E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings organ had a case that was about 15' high by 7' 8" deep (plus 2 feet for the pedals) by 11' 4" wide (plus 2' for the pump handle). In the case were 25 display pipes decorated in gold and dark green. The organ was blown by hand from a handle on the right. Mohr notes that the organ was moved to Union Congregational Church in Richmond Hill.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Octave
58
8
   Dulciana
58
3
   Twelfth
58
8
   Melodia
58
2
   Fifteenth
58
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
8
   St. Diapason Treble
46
4
   Flute
58
8
   St. Diapason Bass
12
8
   Oboe [TC]
46
8
   Viola
58
8
   Bassoon
12
               
Pedal Organ – 27 notes
16
   Bourdon
27
        
               
Couplers, &c
    Great to Pedal       Tremolo  
    Swell to Pedal       Bellows Signal  
    Swell to Great          
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal  
    Two Combinations on Great    
           
Sources:
     Ballenas, Carl and Nancy Cataldi. Richmond Hill - Images of America. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2002.
     Global Christian Ministries Church web site: http://globalchristianministries.org
     Mohr, Louis F. & Co. Specifications (Feb. 18, 1911) of E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings organ, Op. 915 (1878). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Remsen, Timothy. Information about the organs in Union Congregational Church.
     Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991.

Illustration:
     Lucy Ballenas Collection. Undated postcard of Congregational Church, Richmond Hill, L.I.