Hinners Pipe Organ 100 Year Celebration June 8
The Bushnell United Methodist Church is celebrating 100 years this year, which is also the number of years the rich sounds of the Hinners Pipe Organ has been filling the sanctuary with the accompaniment of its many members’ voices.
It’s a memory of a time gone by for many churches, as a working Hinners Pipe Organ is not commonly found today.
But for the Bushnell United Methodist Church, the pipe organ proudly resounds its deep tones out almost every Sunday morning and that is a reason to celebrate!
Founded in the spring of 1856, the Bushnell United Methodist Church began with a group of 10 people who met in the home of James Cole where the Rev. William Underwood, preached the first sermon.
For several years services were held in homes, schoolhouses and in space rented from the German Methodist Church. In 1863 a frame church was built on the corner of Hurst and Crafford streets. This church was replaced by a two story brick and stone building that was destroyed by fire in 1923. The members quickly built a temporary church they called, “ The Tabernacle” which seated 600 on wooden benches, until the present day church was completed in 1925.
Rev. Charles Van Dettum, the Minister at the time of the fire, gathered with his Board of Trustees and the decision was made to rebuild. First, the lot for the new church was increased from 60 ft to 100 ft x175 ft. The building cost would be $75,000. Between the time of the fire and the dedication on July 12, 1925, $35,000 had been pledged for construction. The Rev. G. L. Snively, pastor in charge of the dedication services, announced at the morning session that about $32,000 was still needed, as $6,700 had been pledged just prior to the services. “That’s a lot of money to raise in a city of 3000 population on a hot July day” were his remarks.
At the morning session an additional $27,107 was pledged and by the afternoon the total was $83,385, making it $8,000 more than the $75,000 needed.
On July 14, 1925 two days after the church dedication the pipe organ was dedicated by a recital given by Professor Fredereick B Stiven, director of the School of Music at the University of Illinois, assisted by Mrs. W.
J. Fisbee and Miss Bess Siebert, both Bushnell soloists.
Cost of the organ was listed as $5,168.
Hinners Organ Company was an American manufacturer of reed and pipe organs in Pekin, IL established in 1879 by John Hinners.
Hinners began building pipe organs in 1890 and its primary customers were German speaking immigrant congregations throughout the midwest.
The earliest known was built for the German Evangelical Church in Edwardsville, IL. Hinners did consistently date and number his nameplates, the first pipe organ recorded was installed in 1892 at the German Evangelical Church in Huntingburg, IN. Hinners took on many partners during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and in 1920 became a mass-produced parts company named Illinois Organ Supply Company. As business declined in the 30s due to the Great Depression, changing technology and increasing competition, Hinners became a service company and closed in 1946.
Over the years Hinners pipe organ opus numbers are known to reach #3097, today only 15% remain, one of those is housed at the Bushnell United Methodist Church. The organ was played by many musicians and church members throughout the years in Bushnell, the first organist was Ella Lieb then the next organist was Pauline Goeppinger who is thought to have played well into the 1950s, others include Mae Watt, Don Achepohl, Barb Turner, Sarah Holland, Linda Betzelberger, Linda Webb, Bonnie Bartlett, Kathy Shanklin, Carmen Elkin, Jerry Walter, Kevin Walter, Mary Pendarvis and Carolyn Simmons.
The Bushnell United Methodist Church invites the public to join them in learning more about the Hinners Pipe organ by Don Achepohl, while listening to its bold, divine tones played by Linda Webb. View the magnificent pipes lining the wall in front and behind, in the two tiered, semi circle sanctuary encompassed by stained glass windows.
The free celebration will take place Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 2:00 pm at the church, 390 N Crafford St., Bushnell Light refreshments will be served.
