Database Manager on December 7th, 2009:
Updated through on-line information from Dwight Thompson. -- I and my wife Dorothy Thompson installed this organ in 1961 and 1962 and completed the tonal finishing in 1962. I was an employee of Arneson Organs Inc of Golden Valley MN. Byron Arneson was the designer of this organ and midwest representative of Hillgreen-Lane. The installation was done while the chapel was still under construction in 1961. Dr Alwert was the head of the Organ Department and collaborated with Mr Arneson on the design. The original contract called for 53 ranks in the balcony, but before the installation started a donation enabled the addition of an antiphonal section in a room below the platform speaking through an opening in the floor to the right of the altar. The antiphonal brought the total count of ranks to 75. When Hendrickson made changes to this organ, I believe he eliminated the antiphonal and combined some of its ranks into the main chambers in the balcony. Pipes were made by Robert Schoppe of Alliance Ohio. Great chorus and swell/pedal Fagotti were voiced by Paul Beiber of Chicago. Other swell, great and solo reeds were voiced by Robert Schoppe, with some completed by Paul Beiber after Robert Schoppe suffered a heart attack. Flue stops other than great chorus were voiced by Frank Hillgreen. Great, choir, swell and solo chambers have 90 degree opening vertical shutters powered by double pneumatic engines mounted above the chambers. The engines were built by Klann Organ Supply of Bluefield West Virginia. The instrument originally included a capture style remote combination action supplied by Compton Organ company of Liverpool, England. This was replaced by a remote preset combination action before the changes made by Hendrickson.
Database Manager on February 19th, 2009:
Updated through on-line information from Richard C Greene.
Database Manager on February 18th, 2009:
Identified through on-line information from Richard C Greene. -- Chapel was damaged in a tornado in 1988. The organ was rebuilt by Hendrickson Organ Co.