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--> Organ From Chattanooga Chapter, American Guild of Organists
The congregation was organized by eleven charter members on November 19, 1871, in Clippinger's Hall on the west side of Market Street, following a city-wide revival. Chattanooga was then a struggling young city of 7,000 inhabitants who had survived floods, fires, epidemics and financial panic. In 1885, the 188-member congregation built its first permanent home, an attractive building with a tall spire, between 7th and 8th Streets; it was dedicated on November 10, 1886, and was known as Walnut Street Christian Church. In 1901, the congregation moved to the corner of Georgia and 7th into a structure purchased from First Presbyterian Church. The congregation then changed its name to First Christian Church. On May 25, 1952, the present 550-seat Georgian Colonial building on McCallie Avenue was dedicated. The church's first organ was the 1877 John Fernquist organ inherited with the facility that the congregation purchased from First Presbyterian in 1907. Fernquist, an elder in the Presbyterian congregation and described in a 1910 newspaper article as a Swedish-born organbuilder, built the organ himself for his church's then-present sanctuary. It was known for its pipes "gilded with pure gold." The organ was rebuilt and enlarged when moved in 1884 to First Presbyterian's new sanctuary at Georgia and Seventh. The Fernquist organ remained until First Christian replaced it with a 5-rank Wicks, Opus 2382, in 1941. The new McCallie Avenue sanctuary of First Christian Church had a new 3-manual 12-rank Reuter, Opus 983. The prepared-for Choir division of six ranks and seven other ranks were added shortly thereafter. The organ was redone by Randall Dyer in 1989, retaining 13 ranks from the Reuter. The Great 8' Principal and Pedal 4' Choralbass are displayed in front of the organ chambers, which are located to each side of the central chancel window. In the late 1990's, Barger & Nix added a high-pressure hooded trumpet built by A. R. Schopp's Sons. The stop was given by Robert V. Curtis in honor of his wife, Eloise, who served as organist of the church for nearly 40 years.
Reuter, 3/25, Op. 983, 1952
Randall Dyer, 3/27, 1989
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