Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Minneapolis Municipal Christmas Tree 1913


MPLS. MUNICIPAL XMAS TREE 1913, 74 FEET HIGH, 2500 LIGHTS


This postcard is a photo of the 1913 Minneapolis Municipal Christmas Tree. The postcard was made by H. E. Fister, whose name and address is embossed in the top right corner.

PHOTO POST CARDS, H. E. FISTER, 2812 – 38TH AVE. SO.


This was the first municipal Christmas tree in Minneapolis. It was placed outdoors in Gateway Park in downtown Minneapolis. The T. K. Gray Drug Co., seen behind the tree on the left, was located on Hennepin Avenue between First and Second Streets. The tree was decorated with toys, over 2500 lights, and topped by a great star. The formal dedication of the tree took place on Christmas Eve, and there was a special service on Christmas morning. The tree drew large crowds with a series of eight evening programs of vocal and instrumental music.

It was expected that many more municipal trees would follow in subsequent years. Mild weather prevailed in 1913 which allowed the festivities to be held outdoors. The 1914 municipal tree, the second and apparently the last, was indoors at the Arcadia roller skating rink opposite City Hall on Fifth Street.

For More Vintage Holiday Images

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2013/12/sepia-saturday-208-christmas-new-year.html
at

16 comments:

  1. JofeathDecember 18, 2013 at 6:03:00 AM CST

    What a shame they didn't continue the tradition. That 1913 tree looks a lot more impressive than the rather pathetic one that The Melbourne City Council has erected this year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barbara RogersDecember 18, 2013 at 12:05:00 PM CST

    Love to see that old tree, and hear about how the tradition didn't happen. Isn't that the case with so many things, I wonder if it was interrupted by war.

    ReplyDelete
  3. La NightingailDecember 18, 2013 at 6:43:00 PM CST

    I remember several years ago the usual Christmas tree was set up & decorated in the community hall in the town where we were living. It was its usual pretty tree. Unfortunately, someone stole it! Just walked right out of the hall with it. We couldn't believe it. The next day, however, there was a new bigger tree decorated beautifully & everyone was astonished. No one ever knew where it came from or who put it there. It was just suddenly there for all to enjoy. Somebody was obviously full of the Christmas spirit! Hope you are too. Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  4. WendyDecember 20, 2013 at 6:30:00 AM CST

    The festivities of 1913 were much like many of the Christmas movies I've been watching this week. I did not grow up in places where municipal trees were "the big thing," but in Christmas movies everyone is excited about the tree lighting and pageants. It sounds like the folks of Minneapolis. Too bad the enthusiasm didn't last.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownDecember 20, 2013 at 8:11:00 PM CST

    Town and city Christmas trees were a big deal up here in Maine, too -- I went to lots of lightings when I was a kid; it was usually exciting and beautiful and very, very cold.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mike BrubakerDecember 20, 2013 at 9:38:00 PM CST

    Here in Western North Carolina, the "tree" is just a memorial stone obelisk that has a cone of lights strung around it for the holidays. But the BIG tree fest is at the Biltmore House in early November when they put up a 40-foot Fraser fir in the banquet hall and dozens of smaller trees throughout the rest of this grand house. However, since the big tree goes up so early, by December they remove it overnight and put up a second one! Too much Xmas spirit for me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousDecember 20, 2013 at 10:16:00 PM CST

    Proper towm Christmas trees seems to be a tradition that is slowly slipping away unfortunately.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Brett PayneDecember 20, 2013 at 11:35:00 PM CST

    Municipal Christmas trees are everywhere here in New Zealand nowadays, although they are always fake ones. I even saw one in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, two years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bob ScotneyDecember 21, 2013 at 12:49:00 PM CST

    Interesting that the tree was dedicated as late as Christmas Eve. These days municipal trees in the UK seem to go up earlier and earlier each year.

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownDecember 21, 2013 at 2:15:00 PM CST

    I always admire your posts and they educate me in some of the history of this still new to me state of MN., no more Muni Minnie trees? That is another priceless postcard

    ReplyDelete
  11. KristinDecember 21, 2013 at 3:46:00 PM CST

    I wonder why they discontinued the tradition so early.

    ReplyDelete
  12. BoobookDecember 22, 2013 at 5:05:00 AM CST

    Our council's tree this year isn't even a tree - it's a stylised tree made out of cardboard or plastic. It's horrible.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jackie van BergenDecember 22, 2013 at 11:20:00 AM CST

    I wonder if they discontinued the 'tradition' as this would have been a bit of an extravagance in wartime.
    Merry Christmas to you and your family

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anne YoungDecember 22, 2013 at 4:29:00 PM CST

    What an enormous tree. It must have taken great effort to erect and decorate.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Little NellDecember 22, 2013 at 4:46:00 PM CST

    A magnificent tree, what a pity the tradition didn't continue.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Bruno LalibertéDecember 29, 2013 at 5:52:00 AM CST

    Lovely card and I find it odd that the event was so short-lived....
    Any reason you know?!?
    Loved that "Santa's phone call" postcard as well.
    You do have quite the collection!!
    My very best wishes for the upcoming year!!
    Keep well!!
    :)~
    HUGZ

    ReplyDelete