Peace Candle of the World

This article is about the candle in Scappoose, Oregon. For the candle in Easton, Pennsylvania, see Peace Candle.
Peace Candle of the World

A cylindrical-shaped red tower-like structure resembling a candle sits inside a circular stone brick wall with plants and shrubs around it. A red flame-like structure sits atop the candle, and an oval-shaped logo with the word "Scappoose" in front of a drawing of a mountain rests in the center of the candle. A blue banner with the words "Peace Candle of the World" in white is draped near the bottom of the structure. In the background is a rural setting with houses and trucks below a sky with gray clouds.

The Peace Candle of the World in Scappoose, Oregon, in February 2008
Location Scappoose, Oregon
Coordinates 45°44′36″N 122°52′33″W / 45.74333°N 122.87583°WCoordinates: 45°44′36″N 122°52′33″W / 45.74333°N 122.87583°W
Established May 9, 1971

The Peace Candle of the World, also known as the Scappoose Peace Candle,[1] is a tower-like structure in Scappoose, Oregon, designed to resemble a candle. It is an approximately 50-foot-tall (15 m), 18-foot (5.5 m) structure.[2][3] The candle was built in 1971 outside of what was then the Brock Candles Inc. factory, which burned down in 1990. The land used to be a dairy farm, and factory owner Darrel Brock created the candle by covering a silo with red wax to advertise the factory.[3]

The candle was originally built with an actual wick. On May 9, 1971, the town's mayor and Oregon Governor Tom McCall lit the candle using a custom-made 60-foot-long match.[1][3][4] President Richard Nixon was asked to light the candle, but he declined.[4] Due to difficulties in keeping the candle lit during rainfall, the wick was replaced with a natural gas line up the center of the candle to create a real flame at the top. However, due to environmental concerns and extremely high gas bills, the flame was eventually replaced with an electric neon light flame structure.[1][3]

The Peace Candle of the World at one time held the Guinness World Record for world's largest candle,[1][2] but the record was eventually given to the 127-foot (39 m) wax candle that was featured at the General Art and Industrial Exhibition of Stockholm in 1897.[3] The Scappoose Peace Candle sits on the north side of U.S. Route 30 and is visible from the highway.[5][6][7] Each season, the candle was re-coated with different colors to match the time of year, with red for Christmas and multiple colors being used in the fall.[4] The wax around the candle was eventually replaced with more durable wax-like substances.[1]

The candle is meant to serve as a symbol for the desire for world peace.[1] During the Christmas season, the Scappoose Peace Candle is strewn with strands of Christmas lights.[4] The Scappoose region around the Peace Candle of the World has become more and more developed in recent years, leading to fears from local residents that the candle could eventually be torn down in favor of a development.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Baskas, Harriet (2007). Oregon Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (1 ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing. p. 129. ISBN 0-7627-4236-4.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 McWhirter, Norris; McWhirter, Alan Ross (1971). Guinness book of world records (10 ed.). New York City, New York: Sterling Publishing, Co. p. 237. ISBN 0-8069-0004-0.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 McEvoy, Colin (2009-12-20). "How Easton measures up: Peace Candle not the tallest, but plenty tall". The Express-Times (Easton, Pennsylvania). p. A1. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Scappoose, OR - Peace Candle of the World". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  5. ↑ Baskas, p. 128
  6. ↑ Palahniuk, Chuck (2008). Fugitives & refugees: a walk in Portland, Oregon. New York City, New York: Crown Publishing Group. p. 170. ISBN 1-4000-4783-8.
  7. ↑ Orion, Doreen (2008). Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband and a Bus with a Will of Its Own. New York City, New York: Broadway Books. p. 225. ISBN 0-7679-2853-9.