The German Reformed Church of Monticello (Zwingli Evangelical Church) celebrated its 25th anniversary and dedicated a new pipe organ on August 10, 1913. The cost of the pipe organ was $1,400 (the equivalent of $42,500 today). The dedication service was also the first time a sermon at Zwingli was delivered in the English language. From 1913 to 1925, on alternate Sundays, services were held in the German language to appease a “handful of old-timers;” after 1925, German was dropped and English services were held every Sunday.

Members of the Albany Congregation Church joined Zwingli Church in 1953. The increase in membership made it apparent that more room was needed; therefore a remodeling project was proposed. The pipe organ was removed when remodeling started in the spring of 1954 due to the high cost of maintaining the organ. June of 1957, Monticello Zwingli Church took the name of Zwingli United Church of Christ.

The first photo is the dedication of the pipe organ in 1913. The second photo is circa 1950. Visit www.monticellohistoricalsociety.org for more information.