Chicago-Midwest Chapter Organ Historical Society

Edgebrook Lutheran Church

5252 West Devon Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

In 1939 Lutheran residents of Edgebrook requested the Synodical Superintendent of Mission to investigate the possibility of establishing a congregation in this neighborhood. The very first service was then held in the Edgebrook Public School on Sunday October 15, 1939. Just five months later the congregation was formally organized with 54 Charter Members. The church council made a preliminary decision to purchase a building site on the East side of the railroad tracks since Edgebrook Community Church was the only church in the immediate neighborhood. The deal was consummated with the purchase of several city lots on Spokane and Hiawatha Avenues while a temporary church was located in a store front at 5416 West Devon. Building plans were drawn and the congregation received the last construction permit in the County to be issued by the War Production Board for the duration of the Second World War. The church was then finally dedicated in December of 1943 at the astronomical sum of $43,000.00. The church property was consolidated in 1951 with the purchase of additional city lots. A southward extension of the church building and the installation of Reuter Organ Company Opus 1058 were dedicated on Sunday September 27, 1953. More recently, the church balcony was added in 1960 and the church tower rebuilt in 1984. 1995 saw the refurbishing of the organ by the Berghaus Organ Company of Bellwood, Illinois. and the redecoration of the nave. While here please note the many works of art including the wood carving of "The Last Supper" on the altar reredos, the intricately carved wood baptismal font cover and the carved wood ship hanging from the ceiling. Painted decorations on the beamed wooden ceiling are reminiscent of the country parish churches in Sweden as this church has a great Swedish heritage.

Present specification of Reuter Organ Company - Opus 1058 (1953):

Great Organ - Manual I:

8' Diapason - Metal - 73 pipes
8' Hohl Flute - Wood - 73 pipes
4' Octave - Metal - 73 pipes
4' Spitz Flote* - Metal - 73 pipes
2 2/3' Twelfth - Metal - 61 pipes
2' Fifteenth - Metal - 61 pipes
Blank Tab
Chimes Deagan "Canto" 25 bars
Tremolo

Great to Great 16'
Great Unison Off
Great to Great 4'

Swell to Great 16'
Swell to Great 8'
Swell to Great 4'

Swell Organ - Manual II:

16' Rohr Bourdon - Wood, Extension 8' Rohr Flute - 12 pipes
Blank Tab
8' Rohr Flute - Wood and Metal - 85 pipes
8' Viol d'Gambe - Metal - 73 pipes
8' Voix Celeste - Metal - 61 pipes
4' Spitz Principal - Metal - 73 pipes
4' Chimney Flute - Metal, Extension 8' Rohr Flute - 73 notes
2 2/3' Rohr Nasat - Metal, Extension 8' Rohr Flute - 61 notes
2' Flautino - Metal, Extension 8' Rohr Flute - 61 notes
8' Trumpet - Metal Resonator - 73 pipes
8' Vox Humana - Metal resonator - 61 pipes
4' Hautbois - Metal resonator - 73 pipes
Tremolo
Swell to Swell 16'
Swell Unison Off
Swell to Swell 4'

Pedal Organ:

16' Principal - Metal - 32 pipes
16' Lieblich Gedeckt - Wood, from Swell - 32 notes
10 2/3' Quinte - Wood, from Swell - 32 notes
8' Principal - Metal, extension 16' Principal - 12 pipes
8' Gedeckt - Wood and Metal from Swell - 32 notes
4' Super Octave - Metal, Extension 16' Principal - 12 pipes
4' Flute - Metal from Swell - 32 notes
Blank Tab
8' Trumpet - Metal Resonator, from Swell - 32 notes

Great to Pedal 8'
Great to Pedal 4'
Swell to Pedal 8'
Swell to Pedal 4'

Accessories:

4 General Pistons (thumb under Manual II)
4 Swell Pistons (thumb under Manual II) - (controls Pedal stops also)
4 Great Pistons (thumb under Manual I) - (controls Pedal stops also)

Great Expression Shoe
Swell Expression Shoe
Crescendo Shoe

Toe Studs:
Great/Pedal
Sforzando
Zymbalstern*

Deagan Chime Volume Control

Zymbalstern Controls: Volume Speed

Original Organ installed by F. C. Wichlac & Associates of Chicago, Illinois

·                Added by the Berghaus Organ Company of Bellwood, Illinois in 1994

(Information resourced from a published history in: "The 55^th Anniversary Directory of Edgebrook Lutheran Church 1940 - 1995" and on-site visit)

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1/22/2006 - © Chicago-Midwest Chapter, Organ Historical Society