First United Methodist Church
Algona, Iowa

Wicks Organ Co., 1947
Rebuilt by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, 1997,
incorporating casework from 1898 Barckhoff organ

First Methodist’s first organ, built by Carl Barckhoff in 1898, was purchased through the efforts of the church’s Epworth League. The instrument was said to have had 1,157 pipes, weighed over 6,000 pounds, had a case made of “wild cherry”, and cost $2,200. It was dedicated by Chicago organist Harrison Wild. An electric blower was installed in 1916. In 1947, the organ was rebuilt and moved to an enchambered location to the left of its original home by the Wicks Organ Co. at a cost of $8,568, with some pipes from the old organ being retained. In 1996, the church engaged Dobson to restore the organ to its original location, and place it behind new façade woodwork that retained some of the original Barckhoff woodwork, which had be stored in the church since the time of the Wicks rebuild.