TD’s Organ Crawl marks a decade on April 27; Quintuple tones rich contemplation

Garry Estep

By Garry Estep

The Dalles, Ore., March 31, 2025 — The Dalles is an anomaly.

Many small cities are lucky if they have even one working pipe organ  somewhere in a church.

We have five. Yes – five. And we’re very proud of it. 

In 2007 Robert Carsner organized an “organ crawl”. Somewhat like a “pub crawl” except instead of  going to a bar, you go to church. And you get to listen as an organist presents about twenty minutes of  music for your enjoyment at each church. 

The Dalles does this every other year (biennial) and 2025 is indeed an organ crawl year. On Sunday April  27th starting at 2:00 pm the crawl begins at St. Peter’s Landmark located at the corner of 3rd and Lincoln  Streets next to city center.  

The five organs you will savor are: 1907 Kilgen Organ Opus 3359 at Old St. Peter’s Landmark, 1954 Wicks  Organ Opus 3434 at United Church of Christ Congregational, 1947 Reuter Organ Opus 744 at The  Christian Science Church in The Dalles, 1905 Kimball Organ at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and the 1976  Phelps-d’Autremont Organ at Zion Lutheran Church ELCA. Directions will be provided. 

The music will be made by two local organists, Garry Estep (and his current protégé) and E.J. Howe,  augmented by guest organists from the Portland branch of the American Guild of Organists. 

The organ crawl is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted, and the proceeds go toward  maintenance of these grand instruments.  

So let us continue to be an anomaly. Get drunk with music from the King of Instruments. And enjoy the  beauty of being The Dalles.