Apr 6, 2018 4 min read

Founded 225 years ago, First Presbyterian Church of Washington has a rich history.

Early congregants met in a stone academy, now part of Washington & Jefferson College, before moving to a tavern, then the courthouse. Later, they built a church on Strawberry Avenue, then sold it to the Hays Carriage Co.

In 1851, a new church was built on the present site at 100 E. Wheeling St., on land that was originally deeded to George and Martha Washington. In 1868, because of building deficiencies, the Greek Revival building was taken down to the foundation, and a third building – the current church – was constructed.

While not as storied as the church itself, First Presbyterian’s pipe organ is also a historically significant artifact.

The organ was built by M.P. Möller Organ Company in Hagerstown, Md., at one time the world’s largest and most widely known organ manufacturer.

“It’s not huge like the one in Philadelphia, (the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ is the largest fully functioning pipe organ in the world) or ones in New York, but it’s a pretty historical organ for this region, especially when a lot of churches have gone to electric,” said Matt Boice, the church’s director of music.

While the exact date of installation is unknown, it is believed to be some time in the 1940s, with a major restoration completed before 1970. Aside from twice-yearly tunings and small repairs, the pipe organ has remained unchanged in that time.

“We do use it, but there are things that won’t play anymore. It’s like an old car. There are so many hundred-thousand miles on it, then this little thing happens and then another. We have to deal with it on a regular basis,” Boice said. “The air is leaking so hard, it’s blowing the women’s hair in the choir. Some repairs need to be done that we can’t fix because we can’t get to it.”

Efforts are underway for a full restoration of the instrument, including expansion of the pipe chamber – the area behind the wall from where the sound comes – and reconfiguration of the pipes.

The estimated cost is $400,000 to $500,000.

“It came up that that’s a lot of money, and couldn’t we just buy an electronic organ. Yeah, you could, but you’re going to spend $25,000, even $40,000 to $50,000, every 10 years. Electronics don’t last. With the pipe organ, it’s going to last 100 years,” said Boice. “In addition, people make electronic (organs) to imitate the sound of a pipe organ. And, there’s a lot of history here.”

Boice said music is an important aspect of worship at First Presbyterian.

“Our congregation has a rich history of having a high-quality music program. Our church is probably the only one in Washington County, and a lot of Pittsburgh, where a full-time music position is still funded,” he said. “Music is important here, whether it’s little kids singing or the hand bell choir.”

A renovation of the entire church is also in the works. The “All In” capital improvement campaign is a plan to improve and sustain the building, with groundbreaking scheduled as early as the end of the month.

Ideally, said Boice, the organ would be removed when work commences on the sanctuary, then it would be fixed and put back. Once work starts on the organ, it would probably take four to six months to complete.

Drawings call for the front of the sanctuary, including the altar, to be changed to allow for an expanded pipe chamber and to improve accessibility to the choir area.

To raise funds for the organ restoration, a series of concerts is planned. The first is Wednesday, with musical group Simple Gifts performing, starting at 7 p.m. Admission to the concert is free, thanks to a grant provided by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Donations will be accepted for the organ restoration.

For more information on the pipe organ restoration project, visit www.fpc1793.org/.

Drawing on a variety of ethnic folk styles, the award-winning duo of Simple Gifts plays everything from lively Irish jigs and down-home American reels to hard-driving Klezmer frailachs and haunting Gypsy melodies.

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: First Presbyterian Church, 100 E. Wheeling St., Washington

Cost: Free admission; donations will be accepted for the church’s organ restoration project

For information, call 724-225-5415