Getting to the roots of Pennsylvania’s Christmas trees
William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, loved nature. He directed his surveyor to lay out “a greene country town where every house be placed in the middle of the plot, so that there may be ground on each side, for gardens, or orchards or fields and so that it will never be burnt, and always be wholesome.” In addition, he directed the streets of Philadelphia, running east and west, to be named after trees.
It’s ironic that William Penn’s Pennsylvania would become known for the prominent roll the Christmas tree played in its industry and celebrations, when it would have been alien to his Quaker beliefs.
Many of these Christmas tree celebrations were held in Washington, D.C. President Calvin Coolidge was the first president to preside over a public celebration of the Christmas holidays, by lighting a National Christmas Tree on the White House grounds in 1923.
By 1954, this event expanded into the “Christmas Pageant of Peace.” Smaller trees representing each state, five territories and the District of Columbia formed a “Pathway of Peace” that led to the National Christmas Tree.
Where did this tree come from? Pennsylvania. The 42 foot Colorado blue spruce was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Atherton, Hunlock Creek, Luzerne County. This tree had the honor of being the permanent National Christmas tree, at least until 1976, when it died. An anonymous family from Maryland donated a tree in 1977. This tree was destroyed by a storm.
Where did the next living tree come from? Pennsylvania. It was a 30 foot Colorado blue spruce that was transplanted from a farm in York County, in 1978, and owned by Mr. and Mrs. William E. Myers. This tree adorned the White House lawn for 33 years, but was toppled down in a windstorm on Feb. 19, 2011.
Although there are numerous Christmas trees outside, they are also inside the White House. The tree in the Blue Room is considered the official White House Christmas tree.
Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association, through a contest for the Grand Champion grower, has presented the First Family with a tree for the Blue Room. The growers must first win their state competitions. Pennsylvania won this honor eight times.
The first Blue Room champion, in 1981, was presented by Eric and Gloria Sundback, from a farm in Western Pennsylvania, Crawford County. The Berkey family of Berkey’s Nursery, Spartenburg, Crawford County, in 1989, won the second Blue Room honor. In 2000, First Lady Hillary Clinton and family were presented with the third Blue Room tree, a Douglas fir from Paul and Sharon Shealer’s farm, Evergreen Acres, in Auburn, Schuylkill County.
The Bowersox family, in 2001, from their Hill View Christmas Tree Farm, north of Middleburg, Snyder County, presented the fourth Blue Room tree to First Lady Laura Bush and family, an 18 and half foot Concolor fir.
The Chris Botek family, from Carbon County, Crystal Spring Tree Farm, had the honor of presenting the Blue Room tree four times! Francis and Margaret Botek were Grand Champion winners in 2006. Their son, Chris, won the honor in 2010, 2013 and 2014, presenting the tree to First Lady Michelle Obama and family. The Botek family also supplied the Christmas tree to Pennsylvania’s state capitol 15 times!
Before leaving Washington, we cannot forget the Capitol Christmas tree (previously known as the Holiday tree) on the West Lawn, a tradition started by John W. McCormick in 1964.
The Buddie’s Nursery, from Birdsboro, Berks County, held the honor of supplying the Capitol Christmas tree from 1964 through 1967, when it succumbed to wind damage. Due to several trees dying, the U.S. Forest Service, since 1970, now provides this tree, which is officially lit by the Speaker of the House. In 1973, the capitol grounds held a 51 foot white spruce from Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest.
Pennsylvania trees have had great honors in Washington, D.C., but nowit’s time to get to the roots of these Christmas trees... The Christmas tree farms.
The first Christmas tree farm was started in 1901 in Mercer County, New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, it was in Indiana County, in 1918, that farmers began planting evergreens to grow agriculturally. One of those original farmers, Fred Musser, in 1928, was first to set up a Christmas tree nursery. The company is now situated on U.S. Route 119. Today, Fred Musser, Jr. is the owner and president of the farm.
In 1944, a group of Christmas tree growers founded the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Grow--
er’s Association (PCTGA) to discuss pest issues, marketing and industry conditions. Although not affiliated with PCTGA, in 1956, the Indiana Christmas Tree Grower’s Association was organized. The association estimates that 700,000 trees were cut in Indiana County that year, and Indiana County became known as “Christmas Tree Capital of the World.”
In the same year Indiana’s Christmas Tree Grower’s Association was
formed, a board member, Beryl Johnston and his father, Clair, got the idea for a motorized Christmas tree baler, which bundled trees in twine. Although it took years to perfect, by 1960, they were produced and sold to customers across the county, according to the PA Grower’s Association 2010 guide. Johnston’s Nursery, in Creekside, Indiana County, is run by Dave Johnston, who told me a 1959 Johnston Baler is still in use at the nursery.
According to the U.S. Department of Agricultural Statistics Service, Pennsylvania farmers harvested more than 1.7 mil-
lion trees in 2002, but only 1.1 million five years later, a 32 percent drop.
Each year, just after decorating our tree, I stand back starry eyed and repeat the familiar carol’s words: “Oh Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches!” This year, I remember the roots of Pennsylvania Christmas trees.
Carole Christman Koch grew up in Berks County and has been published in numerous publications. She has a passion for writing and has many stories from growing up on a farm to everyday stories.