The First Christmas Tree In America
Posted by: 
Team RAGAR
N 41° 30.226 W 081° 41.667
17T E 442042 N 4594915
The first Christmas Tree publicly lighted and displayed in a church.
Waymark Code: WMADNC
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2011
Views: 13
[Marker text]
The first Christmas Tree publicly lighted and displayed in a church stood where the Cleveland Public Auditorium now stands a dedicated Cleveland Landmark
On that site once stood the original Zion Lutheran Church where on Christmas Eve, 1851, it's Pastor Henery Schwan (1819-1905) introduced the first historic Christmas Tree. A tradition he brought from Germany and which spread from that site across through out America.
The present location of Zion Lutheran Church is 2062 East 30th Street.
The Cleveland Landmarks Commission
This historic marker given to the City of Cleveland by the Rotary Club of Cleveland 1975.
[The Rest of the story.]
On Christmas Eve 1851,
A German-born pastor named Schwan
Cheerfully placed in a small Cleveland church
A charmingly trimmed tannenbaum
Though Christmas trees weren’t seen much in the States,
He treasured his homeland tradition
And the Zion Church chancel looked festive and bright
With its candle-lit, star-topped addition
But reactions were mixed and an uproar ensued –
Some felt it was quite out of place
A newspaper zealously vilified Schwan,
Who took down the tree in disgrace
Then the pastor embarked on a personal mission
Of circumspect, thorough research
To disprove the trimmed tree was a pagan tradition
That didn’t belong in the church
He penned lots of letters, and back came replies
Declaring without hesitation
That the custom was practiced by Christians abroad
In many a God-fearing nation
Pastor Schwan persevered and acquired more facts,
Then called a community meeting
The charge of idolatry soon was dispelled
And dissenters departed, conceding
The following Christmas an evergreen tree
Once again graced the church sanctuary
And other trees, too, could be seen around town,
Glowing brightly to make Christmas merry
Within just a few years the tradition caught on
In American cities and towns
And then dwellings and houses of worship alike
Displayed an adorned Tannenbaum!
FIRST - Classification Variable: Item or Event
Date of FIRST: 12/24/1851
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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