St. James RC Church / Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater
218 W. 12th St.
Vancouver,
WA
98660 US
Sanctuary; rear gallery
Organ ID: 52095
Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -- Just before Christmas 2013, the permanent Swell 4' Principal was installed. This was a 1907 Estey (Op. 414) Swell 8' Salicional which was cut-down, de-bearded, and revoiced. Also, the Swell 4' Harmonic Flute from that same Estey was installed in the Swell. A new 19-note chest for conveyed wind to the facade pipes was also installed - replacing a combination direct-electric/electro-pneumatic chest from the 1950's electrification which had partially failed.
Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -- In late November 2013, Puget Sound Pipe Organs made a few tonal changes and additions. The original Wicks Great 4' Octave was returned from the Swell to the Great, and the softer set from the Great was temporarily installed in the Swell. The Great 4' Flute d'Amour and the Swell unit flute had their stoppers re-leathered. A 4' Harmonic Flute was added to the Swell to replace the missing original and to partially de-unify the Swell flute chorus. And a temporary 2' Fifteenth was installed on the Great in place of the cut-down, rescaled Gemshorn that was being used as a 2' register. This increased the size of the organ to 18 ranks.
New console for the existing organ.
Identified by James R. Stettner, based on personal knowledge of the organ.
-- This building was completed in 1885, and was the 2nd Cathedral edifice - the first having burned. In 1907 when the territorial See was officially transferred to Seattle, and the title of St. James Cathedral was transferred to Seattle with the bishop - St. James in Vancouver became a parish church. On Sunday, October 27, 2013, it was proclaimed the Proto Cathedral of St. James the Greater at a 5:00 High Mass.
This organ project is the first phase in a project of mechanical refurbishing and tonal revision. A used 1950s Reuter drawknob console from First Congregational in Tacoma was gutted, stripped, refinished, and retro-fited with new solid state components. The 1954 chamber relays were also replaced with solid state components and all cotton-wrapped wiring was replaced. Other phases enlarging the organ to 35-ranks will follow in 2014.
Pedal 16' Double Open Wood and 3 Great chests re-installed: Photograph by James R. Stettner. Taken approx. May 2019
Great 2-2/3' Twelfth, 2' Fifteenth, and 1-3/5' Seventeenth: Photograph by James R. Stettner. Taken approx. May 2019
Processional Trumpet in 2nd gallery before case added: Photograph by James R. Stettner. Taken on 2020-09-22
View up to the Processional Trumpet in the 2nd gallery - pre-casework: Photograph by James R. Stettner. Taken on 2020-09-22
Proto-Cathedral interior from the upper gallery: Photograph by James R. Stettner. Taken on 2020-09-22