Christmas Tree Lane
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| Christmas Tree Lane | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | Santa Rosa Ave. between Altadena Drive and Woodbury Road Altadena, California |
| Added to NRHP: | September 13, 1990 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 90001444[1] |
| Governing body: | Local |
Christmas Tree Lane is a "mile-long" (really 0.7 mi.) boulevard of deodar cedar trees in Altadena, California. The trees on the Lane, Santa Rosa Avenue, have been lighted annually as a Christmas Holiday display since 1920. It claims to be the oldest large-scale outdoor Christmas display in the world and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1990), and is designated California Historical Landmark No. 990 (1990).
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[edit] History
[edit] Origin
Deodar cedar trees were cultivated in Altadena by its founder, John. P Woodbury in 1883, and what is now Christmas Tree Lane was originally the driveway leading to Woodbury's never-built mansion. The first lighting of the trees took place in 1920, starting with a quarter-mile section of the street, gradually expanding over the next few years to encompass the entire roadway.[2]
The Christmas Tree Lane Association was formed in 1956 to manage the lane after Altadena declined to be annexed politically by City of Pasadena, whose civic associations had previously assisted with the lane. In 1964, Southern California Edison installed electrical facilities for the lane and donated the electricity.[3]
[edit] Landmark Status
Over time age, disease and weather began to take toll on several of the trees. By 1990 there were but 132 of the original146 trees still standing.[citation needed] Nevertheless, that year Christmas Tree Lane was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and became California State Landmark No. 990.[3]
In 1994 a more vigorous Board of Directors of the Christmas Tree Lane Association, instigated by Frank Crunk, forester of the Lane and assisted by new Lane residents Janice and Max Jouanicot and others, began repairing and replacing the strings of lights and re-planting those trees that had been lost over the years.[citation needed]
[edit] Deregulation threatens Lane
In 2000, deregulation of the state's electrical utilities resulted in Southern California Edison withdrawing its maintenance of the Lanes electrical system and donation of the electricity for the lane.[3] The system had never been metered by Edison and now needed a new meter permit and would have to meet all electrical codes for the year 2000. The Los Angeles County Public Works Department (which is responsible for meters and permits for electrical systems) insisted the electrical system unsafe, and prohibitive cost estimates to rewire the system threatened the Christmas Tree Lane tradition.[citation needed]
The Board of Christmas Tree Lane Association appealed to the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. Nelson Nelson, a Public Works administrator, helped with CTLA Board Liaison George Lewis to design a cheaper workable safe and legal system, the CTLA Board and LA County Public Works approved an acceptable plan at an estimated cost of $130,000 which was provided by Los Angeles County Supervisor Antonovich. The Lane that year was lit on schedule.[citation needed]
[edit] Other Christmas Tree Lanes
A competing claim to the name Christmas Tree Lane comes from Fresno, California who also began their electrical Christmas display in 1920 with the lighting of a single tree for the joy of an ill child. Located on a two-mile stretch of Van Ness Avenue between Shields and Shaw Avenues, the Fresno Christmas Tree Lane claims to be one of the longest-running holiday events nationwide.
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-07-22).
- ^ History of Altadena Christmas Tree Lane
- ^ a b c History of Altadena Christmas Tree Lane Association
[edit] External links
- Altadena Christmas Tree Lane Association
- History of Altadena Christmas Tree Lane
- Fresno Christmas Tree Lane
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