The First Presbyterian Church of Orange organized on February 9, 1874, and the first church building was erected and dedicated in 1881.  Not until the second church building was erected in 1912 (dedicated 1913) was the first pipe organ, the Lola Pearson Memorial Organ (wife of Rev. Marcus L. Pearson, pastor from 1917 to 1926), built and installed by the Harry Hall Organ Company of West Haven, Connecticut, in 1929 (dedicated 1930) for $11,000, with a simple specification that included a flute conique, flute celeste, viola, oboe, principal, bourdon, chimes, and gedeckt.  The “echo organ” (a division of a pipe organ situated at a distance from the rest of the instrument and containing soft stops suitable for echo effects) was given in recognition of Mrs. Samuel Armor by her Sunday school class, and the Deagan Class “A” chimes were given in memory of D. P. Crawford by his wife.

The noted American organist, professor at Eastman School of Music, and life-long church musician, Dr. David Craighead (b. 1924, d. 2012), was one of the first organists of this church at the early age of 14.

The third and current church building was erected and dedicated in 1964 where the Lola Pearson Memorial Organ was relocated and modified early the same year by the Abbott & Sieker Organ Company of Los Angeles (some Moller pipes were included), with 21 ranks of new pipes, including mixtures, and existing pipes of the first organ (about 7 ranks), bringing the total to 28 ranks of pipes (c. 1,867 pipes—noted in the following stop list), and financed by Miss Sue Rankin.  The organ was renamed the Pearson-Rankin Memorial Organ.  Kristin Ball, wife of Dr. Larry Ball (then Music Director), served as organist for many years.

Historical Sources:  John Burt

ALLEN RENAISSANCE DIGITAL ORGAN

In 2004 plans were drawn up and funds raised to replace the 1964 organ console with cutting edge digital sampling technology by the Allen Organ Company.  In the same year, the Allen Renaissance 355 PP (64+ stops), 3-manual, draw knob console, speakers, and antiphonal organ were installed, augmenting the existing 28 ranks of the Pearson-Rankin Memorial Organ to create a very fine and beautiful hybrid of pipe and digital technology, with a total of 90+ ranks and over 128 MIDI digital voices ranging from piano, orchestral, percussion, voice, to the ethereal.  The console includes an adjustable bench with backrest.  There are 16 memories with 15 general pistons and 6 intramanual pistons each.

STOP LIST OF ALLEN RENAISSANCE 355 ORGAN (pipes noted)

GREAT

Quintaton 16’*
Violone 16’
Quintaton 16’**
Viola 8’*
Koppelflöte 8’*
Metalgedacht 8’**
Principal 8’*
Prinzipal 8’**
Octave 4’*
Oktav 4’**
Singend Gedeckt 4’
Fifteenth 2’*
Twelfth 2-2/3
Sesquialtera II**
Fourniture IV*
Cymbal III
Double Trumpet 16’
Tromba 8’
Tremulant
Chimes
Carillon**
Gt-Pd Unenclosed
Bass Coupler

*Pipes (unexpressed)
** Gt-Pd 2nd Voices

CHOIR

Contre Viole 16’
Viole 8’
Viole Celeste 8’
Holz Gedackt 8’
Koppelflöte 4’
Prinzipal 4’
Violes II 4’
Oktav 2’
Quintflöte 1-3/5
Cymbale III
Trompeta Real 16’
Trompeta Real 8’
Cor Anglais 8’
French Horn 8’
Cromorne 8’
Tremulant
Melody Coupler Ch-Gt
Choir Unenclosed
Gt-Ch Manual Transfer

SWELL

Bourdon Doux 16’
Bourdon 8’
Open Diapason 8’**
Vox Humana 8’
Vox Humana 8’**
Gamba 8’*
Viole d’Orch. 8’**
Gamba Celeste 8’*
Viole Celeste 8’**
Flute Dolce 8’
Flute Celeste 8’
Flute Celeste II 4’
Principal 4’*
Octave 4’**
Nachthorn 4’*
Blockflöte 2’*
Tierce 1-3/5
Sesquialtera II*
Scharf III*
Mixture V**
Contre Trompette 16’
Double Trompet 16’**
Trompette 8’*
Trumpet 8’**
Hautbois 8’
Orch. Oboe 8’**
Clairon 4’
Clarion 4’**
Harpsichord
Celesta
Tremulant
Swell 4’
Unison Off
Swell 16’

* Pipes (under expression)
** English Swell

PEDAL

Contre Bourdon 32’
Bourdon 16’*
Quintaton 16’ (GT)*
Principal 16’*
Principal 16’**
Violone (GT) 16’
Quintaton 16’**
Bourdon 8’*
Principal 8’*
Oktav 8’**
Octave 4’*
Flute 4’*
Mixture IV
Contre Bombarde 32’
Bombarde 16’
Posaune 16’**
Trompette 16’*
Trompette 8’*
Trompette 4’*

*Pipes (unexpressed)
** Alternate Voices

COUPLERS / OTHER

Great to Pedal 8’*
Great to Pedal 4’
Swell to Pedal 8’*
Swell to Pedal 4’
Choir to Pedal 8’*
MIDI on Pedal
Swell to Great 16’
Swell to Great 8’*
Swell to Great 4’
Choir to Great 8’*
MIDI on Great
Swell to Choir 16’
Swell to Choir 8’*
Swell to Choir 4’
Choir Unison Off
MIDI on Choir
MIDI on Swell
All Swells to Swell
Add Digital
Substitute Digital
Gt-Pd Mains Off
Gt-Pd to Antiphonal
Choir Mains Off
Choir to Antiphonal
Swell Mains Off
Swell to Antiphonal
Zimbel (Toe Piston)
Fifteen General  Piston (1-10 Toe Pistons)*
Six Intramanual Pistons
Tutti I & II*
Crescendo A & B

* Duplicated in Toe Pistons