This Christmas tree was once a holiday staple in Vernon's downtown.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Greater Vernon Museum and Archives
December 04, 2022 - 9:05 AM
It shone brightly in the middle of a Vernon downtown intersection for years. Then it was dismantled because its lights became a hazard during the Second World War.
This Christmas tree once brightened the spirits of Vernon residents during the 1930s and '40s in downtown Vernon. It was erected in the middle of the intersection of 30 Avenue and 32 Street using a flag pole hole and shone throughout the holiday season with multi-coloured lights.
No one knows when the tradition started or why, said Gwyneth Evans, communications coordinator with the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.
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It was a time when boardwalks lined the storefronts instead of cement sidewalks and dirt roads were common. Highway 97 didn’t exist yet.
Evans was digging through the archives when she found a photo of the Christmas tree in the middle of the street and it piqued her interest.
“I’m assuming it’s similar to why we have light ups nowadays, for the festivities and to bring some cheer but other than that, I don’t know,” she said.
In the '30s, homemade decorations like tinsel and popcorn garland were popular during the Great Depression because residents didn’t have a lot of money and got creative with items they already had. In the '40s, store-bought decorations became popular with glass materials as people had more money to spend.
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Records also show the spruce tree remained a holiday staple until the Second World War.
“I think 1943 was the first year they didn’t put it up and it was because the lighting wasn’t switch operated so it was a huge hazard during the war,” Evans said.
With the potential for air raids, a brightly lit Christmas tree with no ability to switch off was not ideal. Vernon also had an army camp and and military vehicles and personnel also used the street. “So a tree in the middle of the road was not considered safe,” she said.
The tree was dismantled and a smaller one found a new home outside of city hall which was also located on 30 Avenue at the time. It had a switch so the lights could be quickly turned off in the event of an air raid.
Evans doesn’t think Vernon will ever see this again.
“It’s definitely an enduring tradition but I doubt we’ll bring back a tree in the middle of the road,” she said.
More historical Christmas stories can be found at the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.
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