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This is From the Archives, where we present something from our extensive collection of archival photos, records and all manner of materials dating back to when the church was First Methodist Episcopal, to First Methodist, to Church of the Savior, to St. Paul's to Crossroads.
This week's archives item is on the theme of choirs.
You've already seen the picture of our choir this year - in 2026 - earlier in this newsletter. Now, here is what the choir looked like at the church sometime in 1901.
No month is given on this picture, but it has been labeled by someone as the "Mckinley Choir" in 1901. As you can see, the Chancel is still in the original 1883 configuration, with the organ pipes spread across the front and the choir seated beneath. This is also one of the only pictures where you can clearly see the organ console and what it looked like. (It appears to be a two-manual console, compared to the four-manual console we have today. A "manual" is just the organ term for a keyboard.)
Some of the people are identified, but not all of the singers. So, instead of listing some of the singers, we'll identify the people who aren't singers, starting with the church's Minister, Charles E Manchester, and his wife (not named), seated in the very front. The choir director was Ralph Brown, and he is the gentleman wearing the cape in the middle back. The organist, Florence Dowds, is farther up and behind him on the right.
Then, simply "Henry" is listed as the man standing at the very far left (you can just barely see him due to some problem with the image, but he is wearing a very nice-looking suit). Henry is described by whoever wrote the captions on this photo as "a very fine custodian for many years." So, thanks for your very fine service, Henry, and maybe we'll find your last name one day somewhere else in the archives.
We know from other photos that there was normally a pulpit and altar on that platform that the minister and his wife are sitting on; perhaps they were removed for this photo.
As long as this building has stood since 1883, there have been choirs making music in it. Much gratitude is owed to all of the musicians (and custodians and ministers and Sunday School teachers and...) who have served this church in whatever capacity, from 1883 to 1901 to 2026.
(Click to open the image in a new window.)
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