In early November 2007, I received an email from Mike Zoglio, who is the
man behind the DoylestownFrontPorch.com website. In his email he says, “…did you notice the Christmas tree arrived on Saturday, and the decorative hanging baskets are
up for the holidays too? Won't be long before we'll be
watching Santa arrive.”
Mike’s remark is one that is probably repeated by
hundreds of Doylestown residents every year as we await the arrival of the
Doylestown Christmas tree that stands proudly at the intersection of Main and State Streets in the Fountain House parking lot
(or known as the Starbucks to the new generation of Doylestown residents).
But does anyone really know the
history of the Christmas tree in Doylestown?
Where was it located? Have we
always had a tree in the center of town?
Did William Doyle have a tree in front of Doyles Tavern as General
George Washington marched his troops through our fair town in 1777?
I am fairly certain that William Doyle did not have
a Christmas Tree outside his tavern in the early
years, prior to the area being known as Doylestown. I also am certain that in 1777 still no tree
existed in town.
I remember reading an article in the Daily
Intelligencer as a young adult by longtime resident and ex-writer for the
Intelligencer W. Lester Trauch. His
article was about remembering what Christmas was like many years ago in
town. Trauch had interviewed Daniel D.
Atkinson, a former mayor of Doylestown who had passed away in 1976. Atkinson related to Trauch that as a young
boy, he remembered seeing the first Christmas tree in Doylestown in the late
1800’s. Atkinson was born in Newtown and his family
moved to Doylestown when he was a young boy, he remembers seeing a Christmas
tree and a toilet for the first time in Doylestown (strange statement but that
is what Atkinson told Trauch).
This talk of the first Christmas tree started me on
a hunt for when it first came to Doylestown.
In 1838 when Doylestown was incorporated, Christmas trees were unknown
to the town. The first talk of a
Christmas tree was well before former mayor Daniel Atkinson’s family moved to
Doylestown. When looking through many of
the old newspapers of the town, there was talk of a man named Samuel Ginsley and
wife Louisa who started the tradition here.
Louisa Ginsley was from Stuttgard Germany who brought the custom with
her from her hometown. Samuel was barber
working on West State Street
and it is said that he was the first to setup a tree in his little home at the
corner of Garden Alley and Pine Streets.
Ginsley and his wife came to Doylestown in 1849 and lived here until Samuel
died in 1901.
The people of Doylestown were amazed and impressed
by its beauty, that the idea soon spread. Many of the townspeople would in the years
following put up their own trees. Those who had them, shared with others in the town by holding ‘Open
Houses’ during the holiday season.
The churches provided trees during their Christmas services. All these trees would be decorated with
fruits, pine cones and candles, as electric lights were not yet available. On January 6, 1876 there was a news article
indicating that Dr. George T. Harvey illuminated his home and drug store on
North Main Street (today this is a restaurant located in the Hart Building).
Dr. George T. Harvey Residence (left) and Drug Store
(right) that were torn down over 100 years ago to make
room for the Hart
Building (Below) that is
home to one of Doylestown’s restaurants. In 1876, his house and store were
decorated for the Holidays.
After homeowners and churches adopted the practice
of Christmas trees, the Downtown merchants were encouraged to illuminate their
stores and when the phonographs became available, music was played over
loud-speakers. The darkened nighttime
streets of Doylestown became alive during the Holidays.
93 years ago in 1914, the idea to have a “Community
Christmas Tree” was originated by the Interdenominational Mission Study class
and wholly carried out by the women of Doylestown. With consent of the Bucks County Commissioner,
a large evergreen tree growing in courthouse park, along Broad Street (near Mechanics Street), was chosen to be the
first tree. It would be illuminated with
red, white and blue electric lights and surmounted with a large electric star.
The newspapers relay that on Christmas Eve, between
5 and 6 o’clock, it was
planned that the tree would be lighted with a large choir singing Christmas
carols accompanied by two cornets and an organ.
The tree would be lit on Christmas Eve and then the following evening on
Christmas Day. Many residents complained
about the time and requested the time be divided into two lightings, one early
and one late, as people were still employed and working on December 24 and the
housewives were busy with mealtime. The
time was then switched to between 7 and 8
o’clock.
Owners of the homes and buildings around Courthouse Park were asked to place lighted candles
in their windows to brighten the square as much as possible. The Rev. Wm E.
Steckel of the Doylestown Presbyterian Church made some slides that had the
words of the carols that would be sung and a large screen was hung across the
street. The slides were projected onto
the screen by use of a Stereopticon. The
newspaper stated that 250 incandescent colored lights were used on the Yule tree
and Superintendent Fretz of the Electric Company provided the current with
electrician Charles B. Moyer doing the wiring.
1940’s Postcard of the
Fountain House (Starbucks) with the Community Christmas Tree
prior to decorating
This was the very first Doylestown Community
Christmas tree and the festivities were a huge success. Doylestown has had a tree in town every year since;
the only difference is now we have Santa too!
Information from:
Interested
in making sure the history of the town of Doylestown
is preserved, he has been researching and documenting the people, places and
events that have shaped the town. After
spending extensive hours pouring over books and documents from both the
Spruance Library at the Bucks County Historical Society and his own personal
collection, in 2006, he wrote his first book entitled “A Walking Tour of Doylestown Cemetery,” which also included a tour of the grounds of the
cemetery located on East Court Street, which hundreds have taken part in. His
second project was another tour and guidebook to educate the masses on the area
of Doylestown known today as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. His personal interest in this project stemmed
from his youth as some of his fondest memories were made here.
Tim
is always interested in taking on additional research projects Doylestown and
can be reached at his home at:
Tim Adamsky
1000 Sandy Ridge Road
Doylestown, Pa 18901
Or via email at:
TAdamsky@verizon.net
A 2006 newspaper
article written by Joan Schultz, staff writer for the Doylestown Patriot on the
Adamsky’s Doylestown Cemetery Tours.
© Tim Adamsky - 2007
