Pilcher organ, 1904, Opus 477, 2m/18r
(MODIFIED AND ELECTRIFIED PRIOR TO 1942)

Bourdon 16'

Principal 8'

Faux Bourdon 32'

Principal 8'

Salicional 8'

Principal 16'

Dulciana 8'

Gedeckt 8'

Sub bass 16'

Melodia 8'

Violina 4'

Four blank stops for furure

Octave 4'

Harmonic Flute 4'

Great To Pedal

Flute 4'

Flageolet 2'

Swell To Pedal

Twelfth 2-2/3'

Oboe 8'

Super Octave 2'

Future (blank)

Crescendo pedal and indicator

Blank stop (future)

Future (Blank)

Three general toe studs

Trumpet Gamba 8'

Tremolo

Swell expression

Blank stop (future)

Chimes

HISTORY OF THE ORGAN, by Donald Traser

Central United Methodist Church
Porter and 13th streets, 23224
Pilcher organ, 1904, Opus 477, 2m/18r

GREAT

16      Bourdon                             61 pipes, wood
8     Open Diapason                      61 pipes, metal
8      Dulciana                            61 pipes, metal
8      Melodia                             61 pipes, wood
4     Octave                              61 pipes, metal
4     Flute d'Amour                       61 pipes, wood & metal          
2 2/3 Octave Quint                   61 pipes, metal
2     Super Octave                        61 pipes, metal
8      Trumpet Gamba                       61 pipes, metal
Chimes

SWELL            

8     Violin Diapason                61 pipes, metal
8      Salicional                    61 pipes, metal
8     Stop'd Diapason                61 pipes, wood
4      Gemshorn                            61 pipes, metal
4     Flute Harmonique              61 pipes, metal
2      Piccolo                             61 pipes, metal
8     Oboe & Bassoon                       61 pipes, reeds
Tremolo

PEDAL

16    Double Open Diapason          30 pipes, wood
16      Bourdon                             30 pipes, wood

COUPLERS (piton knobs between manuals)
Swell to Great; Great to Pedal; Swell to Pedal

PEDAL MOVEMENTS
Great Organ, Forte Combination; Great Organ, Piano Combination; Great to Pedal reversible

Information from factory ledger copy.

Central is basically a square auditorium with a diagonal aisle and wedge-shaped pew arrangement.  The organ fills a chamber at the center of the wall to the right of the pulpit. A historical booklet about the church states that the organ originally had tubular pneumatic action which had been electrified by the time the booklet was published in 1942.  It retains its slider and pallet chests. Church members state that a theatre organ console was supplied with the first rebuld.  More recent work included a new supply house console and renaming some of the stops.  Chimes and 32' Faux Bourdon are additions.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The architect for this church was D. Wiley Anderson of Richmond. He designed a number of churches and many of the homes along Monument Avenue. There is currently a wood miniature of the Central building on the corner of Everett and 19th Streets in South Richmond. That wooden building was the original Ashbury UMC which has since moved to Belmont Road in Chesterfield.