Concerts at APPC -- Music and Arts with a purpose. All concerts benefit the missions of Allen Park Presbyterian Church. SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Support P.O.R.T. (Pipe Organ Restoration Team)
Pipe Organ History
Our pipe organ here at Allen Park Presbyterian Church has served the congregation for 56 year. Before it's installation in our new sanctuary, it had a few previous homes. The organ was ori
ginally built by the Aeolian Pipe Organ Company 1909 and given the serial number 1110. It was built for Lyon and Healy, manufacturers of harps and other musical instruments, to entertain customers while they shopped. In 1929, the pipe organ was sold and put into the Kasteel Batavia mansion in Grosse Pointe. In 1962, the MacDonald family, who lived in the mansion at the time, decided they no longer wanted the instrument and decided to donate the twelve rank organ when they heard the church was building a new sanctuary. At that time, Allen Park Presbyterian Church was at a membership of 2,700 people. They installed the organ in the new sanctuary and added pipes make by Casavant Fréres. The original Aeolian pipes make up the swell, choir, and pedal divisions, and the new pipes make up the great and antiphonal divisions. The organ has 44 ranks (2,706 pipes). After years of wonderful organ music, the instrument began to fall into disrepair. In 1986 the organ went through restoration and repair, removing some pipes and replacing them. In 2013 the organ was struck by lightning, which destroyed the operating system. At this time, it was decided that all of the problems with the organ should be fixed. Insurance paid to have the new organ system installed, which was completed in 2014. However, there are still a lot of repairs to be made, including re-leathering, fixing or replacing collapsing, missing, and old pipes that have been damaged. We would greatly appreciate any and all donations you can make to help restore such a treasured instrument.
