Pipe Organs of the Gadsden Purchase
presented by: Professor Emeritus, David Gay & Stan Kartchner

Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m.
Northminster Presbyterian Church
2450 E. Fort Lowell Rd

Lunch follows

In 1854 the United States bought from Mexico the lower 100 miles of what is now the State of Arizona. It was called the Gadsden Purchase after the congressman who agitated for land to provide a route for the construction of a southern railroad line running from East coast to West coast. A railroad line was eventually built and the first train arrived in Tucson in 1880. That train and others to follow brought many things not previously available to this desert region outpost. Among these items were pipe organs, constructed by organ firms in the East.

In this presentation we will have a look at these early instruments and all others that have come to the region up to the present time. This PowerPoint presentation will include many photographs of churches and organs, as well as, audio
clips of the pipe organs. The presenter will be guild member David Gay. Visual and audio clips will be provided by guild member Stan Kartchner.

The photo on the right of the page is the 1903 Murray Harris Pipe Organ at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Bisbee, AZ. This organ was one of the instruments extant in the period.