Henry (Heinrich) F. Berger
1855

This entry describes an original installation of a new pipe organ.
Identified by Steve Bartley, using information found in Sun Papers 4/3/31854 & 4/25/1855.

St. Matthew's put up this, their first building in 1854. A short article in the Sun paper, 4-25-1855 gives the following information:
"The authorities of the St. Matthew's German Lutheran Church, on Canal (Central), near Baltimore St, have just had manufactured for that church a fine toned organ, by Mr. Henry F. Berger. The case is of solid walnut, in the old Roman style of architecture, measuring 12 feet in height, 6 feet deep, and 7-1/2 feet wide, with eleven stops,pedal, and one row of keys....."
In 1871-72 the congregation built a new larger Gothic styled building on the north side of E Fayette St., one building east of Central Ave. The old building was sold to St. Wenceslaus Bohemian Church. The original neo-Greek building is extant, though has been used as a warehouse for many decades for several homeless relief organizations. A contact to a previous owners, in 2011, revealed that no signs of the Berger remain. [Ed.: See DOCUMENTS tab for news clippings]