The use of evergreens as holiday decorations dates back thousands of years to when ancient Romans and Egyptians used evergreens as part of their Winter Solstice celebrations. The first known decorated Christmas Tree was in Latvia in 1510. An evergreen tree was decorated with roses. Alsace, France is also sometimes recognized as the birthplace of the Christmas Tree, based upon a depiction of a decorated “paradise tree” from a play about Adam and Eve. By the 1700s, some European Christmas Trees were decorated with lit candles.

It is believed that the concept of the Christmas Tree came to America with Hessian soldiers fighting alongside the British during the American Revolution. Probably the first account of an American Christmas Tree is 1804 when soldiers at Fort Dearborn in Chicago brought evergreen trees into their barracks during the holiday season. Charles Minnegrode is recognized for introducing to America the custom of a decorated Christmas Tree in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1842. One year earlier Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria, decorated a Christmas Tree in England’s Windsor Castle.

We’ll probably never know when or where the first decorated American Christmas Tree occurred; however, it was prior to 1842. Though York, Pennsylvania was part of Penn’s Woods, and had a notable population of English Quakers, the area was predominately settled by people from the Palatinate, an area that is today part of Germany. These Pennsylvania Deutsch (later mistranslated as “Dutch”) brought with them German Christmas traditions, including decorated trees. This tradition undoubtedly spread to other local residents, as evidenced by this newspaper advertisement, which ran in the York Demographic Press in 1840.

Interestingly, the individual who exhibited the tree did not have a German background. In fact, he was a freed slave. William C. Goodridge was born in Baltimore in 1806, and his mother and grandmother had been owned by Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Goodridge apprenticed in York and was given his freedom at age 18, eventually becoming one of York’s most prominent businessmen and a major conductor on the Underground Railroad. But the Goodridge Tree is not the earliest known Christmas Tree in York. The Dorcas Society of York was an “Association of Ladies” founded around 1820 for the “truly charitable purpose of clothing the poor widow and the friendless orphan.” In December 1830, the Society held the Dorcas Fair to raise funds to accomplish their mission. The items sold included everything from fancy-boxes and pocket-books to workbags, toys, dolls, and bonnets. An article in the Tuesday, December 14, 1830 edition of The York Republication told of something else happening at the Dorcas Fair:

We are particularly requested to invite our country friends, as goods will be sold low, and comprise the greatest variety of fancy articles, as well as the exhibition of a famous CHRISTMAS TREE. The fair will be open the day before Christmas, closed on Christmas day, and open in the evening, and thence until the articles are disposed of.

A subsequent article in the December 21 Republican stated:

Tickets will be sold for 6 ¼ cts. which will admit the bearers to the “Christmas Tree” during the time it remains for exhibition.

According to some sources, this may have been one of the first public displays of a Christmas Tree in the United States.

Seven years before the Dorcas Society showing of a Christmas Tree, the York Society of Bachelors exhibited an earlier Pennsylvania German version of the holiday tradition: a Krischtkintle Bauhm, which literally translates to “Kriss Kringle Tree.” The article below appeared in the December 23, 1823 York Gazette.

This humorous article is actually important because it is a public account of a decorated Christmas Tree written almost twenty years before Charles Minnegrode exhibited his tree in Williamsburg. But York’s connection with the Christmas Tree goes back even further.

York resident Lewis Miller is today recognized as one of the most important folk artists of the 19th century. A carpenter by trade, Miller lived for 87 years and chronicled daily life in York through his drawings and sketches, many of which were dated. His sketches covered the people, buildings, and events that shaped York during his life. Much of his work survives today and is part of the collection at the York County Heritage Trust. In fact, some of his work is on display at the Historical Society museum at 250 East Market Street. York’s Cherry Lane, an urban park near Continental Square, features thirteen mural reproductions of his drawings.

One of his drawings is dated 1809 and features a decorated evergreen tree clearly labeled “Christmas tree.” Miller most likely drew this sometime after 1809 from his recollections of youth. The Historical Society museum also features a reproduction of the tree. This is certainly York’s earliest known depiction of a decorated Christmas Tree and, for that matter, one of the earliest American depictions – if not the earliest – of the holiday icon. It is also worth noting that York has another national connection with the Christmas Tree. In 1978 a York County resident, William E. Myers, sold a Colorado Blue Spruce to the National Park Service. The tree left the York area and was promptly replanted in Washington, D. C. on the lawn of the White House. It is this live tree, the “National Christmas Tree,” that is lit every year for the nation and world to enjoy.

From the past to the present, York has played an important role in the development of the American Christmas Tree.

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When York County was created from Lancaster in 1749, five commissioners were named and charged with the task of forming the county. One of their assignments was to find land suitable for a courthouse, acquire it, and construct a building. Centre Square was the location chosen for the new building, similar to the Lancaster County courthouse, which stood in the town square.

For several years there was no courthouse, so courts functions were held in the homes of the court justices. In 1754, the commissioners entered into agreements with William Willis, John Meem, and Jacob Klein to serve as mason and carpenters for a new courthouse. Willis is notable for his work on two buildings that still stand, the Friends Meeting House on West Philadelphia Street as well as his own home on Willis Run Road.

The courthouse was constructed in the center of the Square, but not the exact center. In fact, a 1975 excavation of Continental Square revealed the original foundation, which was found to be 45’ x 45’ and located 22 ½ feet west of the precise center of the Square.

Construction on the new courthouse was completed in 1756. As evidenced by this 1754 description of York by George Stevenson, deputy surveyor of York County, brick buildings were rare: "The Town no consists of 210 Dwelling-Houses, near thirty of which are unfinished, and only three are built of bricks, and two of Stones. Of the rest, some are of Logs and some Framed, beside the Court House, of Brick, not finished, and the Prison, of Stone.”

Many residents and visitors alike believe that the Colonial Court House on West Market Street is the original. That building was constructed and opened in 1976 in celebration of the nation’s bicentennial. Planners performed extensive research to determine the appearance of the original building, and the Colonial Court House gives a good overview of the building that once stood in Centre Square. As no plans were in existence, the design team had to fill in a few gaps and also provide modern amenities during the process.

The drawing above was said to have been created by noted architect Reinhardt Dempwolf and created “from the original specifications” of the building. Some sources indicate that the prominent doorway may have been added in 1793; if so, the original appearance of the main entrance is unknown.

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Around 1750, York residents began holding open markets in Centre Square. According to Gibson’s 1886 “History of York County, Pennsylvania,” the “custom of holding markets on Wednesday and Saturday in the center square of York, has been kept up without cessation since 1750.” Ironically, the year after Gibson’s history was published was the last year that markets were held in the Square.

George Stevenson, deputy surveyor for York County, lobbied for formal “market days” in a letter written in 1754: “Two Market Days in the Week, viz.: Wednesdays & Saturdays, for selling and buying daily Provisions, would prevent Impositions from Butchers, & Stop the Germans from their beloved Practice of buying & selling on Sundays, which I’m satisfied they continually do, tho’ ‘tis not easily detected.”

One year later, York was formally granted a charter to hold twice-weekly markets. “This grant of privilege states that the inhabitants of the town of York, in the new county of York, are become so numerous that they find it necessary to have a public market established within the said town of York, for the better supplying and accommodating them with good wholesome provisions, and other necessaries, under proper regulations.”

The charter then states that the Penn family, to the inhabitants of York, “grants and ordains that they and their successors shall and may forever thereafter hold and keep within the town, in every week in the year, two market days, the one on Wednesday and the other on Saturday, in such commodious place or places, as is, shall or may be, appointed for that purpose.”

The charter provided for a clerk of the market and granted authority to regulate the prices of bread, beer, and wine.

If the “market days” of Wednesday and Saturday sound familiar, it should. After the market ceased operating from the Square, Central Market House was constructed and took the days of Wednesday and Saturday for its regular market days.

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Starting today, Windows Into York will begin a series about the evolution of Continental Square, or Centre Square, from the laying out of York to the Square of today. The “Square,” as most residents call it, has always been the center of York. Businesses cluster around the Square. The courthouse once stood in the square. Market sheds drew residents to the Square. The Second Continental Congress met in the Square. The Confederate Army “captured” the Square. York County’s Sesquicentennial was celebrated in the Square. Comfort Stations were built in the Square. Events continually take place in the Square… Well, you get the picture. If the City of York is a living organism, than the Square is the heart.

In 1741, York County didn’t even exist. All of present day York County, as well as present day Adams County, was part of Lancaster County.

The Penn family – John, Thomas, and Richard, sons of William Penn – directed Thomas Cookson to lay out a new town. Cookson was deputy surveyor for Lancaster County. He was instructed “to survey and lay off in lots a tract of land on the Codorus where the Monocacy Road crosses the stream.”

The Monocacy Road, established in 1739, was actually an old Indian trail.

In his plan, Cookson included instructions for a town square:

“The square to be 480 feet wide, 520 feet long; the lots 230x65 feet; alleys 20 feet wide; two streets 80 feet wide to cross each other, and 65 feet square to be cut off the corner of each lot to make a square for any public building or market of 110 feet each side; the lots to be let at 7 shillings sterling: the square to be laid out the length of two squares to the eastward of Codorus when any number such as twenty houses are built.”

In November 1741, applications for 23 lots were submitted. The best-known of those applicants is Martin Eichelberger, who constructed the Golden Plough Tavern, which is recognized today as the City of York’s oldest building. Another name you may recognize is Baltzer Spengler (or Spangler), who is credited with constructing the Black Horse Tavern. A historic marker stands today on the northwest quadrant of Continental Square, noting the location of the tavern. Spengler did operate a tavern, though it might have been his son, also named Baltzer, who actually operated the “Sign of the Black Horse” on an adjacent lot.

Spengler was given the land in exchange for his services to help lay out the town of York, and his tavern and public inn was used as the voting place for all of York County. In 1750, one year after York County was formed, a fight erupted between the Germans from Hanover and Scots-Irish from Gettysburg (then part of York County). Each group was in town to support their favored candidate to serve as York County sheriff. The Scots-Irish began preventing the Germans from casting their votes, and one particular German took offense at being deprived of his rights. Soon fists and sticks were flying. Blood was shed, but no one was killed. Voting was suspended by, of all people, the Scots-Irish candidate, who was overseeing the elections process.

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Well, it's been a quiet couple of weeks here at "Windows into York," as I've been busy finalizing two books. The "homestretch" can be quite a process - proofing, editing, revising, proofing, editing, revising... One of the books, tentatively entitled York: America's Historic Crossroads, is a photo-oriented book, with about 300 images from around York City.

When pulling together the "coffee table" photo book, I've noticed that it is immediately out of date! I've been photographing York for over 15 years, and after going through years and years of photos -- film and digital -- I've found two things: first, so much has changed in 15 years; second, so much has remained the same.

Much of our historic core remains -- beautiful old historic buildings that have withstood the test of time. A photo taken 15 years ago may look as though it was taken today.

Other historic buildings have been rehabilitated and adaptively reused, a building-industry term for renovating a building and "re-purposing" it for something other than its original intent. The conversion of the former Eisenlohr Cigar Factory into the Greenway Tech Centre is an example of this. The building's appearance has changed greatly. Other times, however, an adaptively reused building doesn't change much in appearance -- the exterior of the York County Court House still looks like it did three decades ago.

But there are also many new buildings - Susquehanna Commerce Center, York County Judicial Center - buildings that have changed York's skyline.

I also noticed the Bradford Pear trees. Boy, have they grown. Even since the late 1990s - when they're in bloom, they actually hide many buildings from the camera's eye.

So what about my comment regarding the book being immediately out of date? As my deadline neared, I kept waiting for Brooks Robinson Plaza at Sovereign Bank Stadium to be finished. I thought a shot of the statue with the stadium in the background would be a perfect addition to the book. And so the day before I sent my book to the publisher, my lunchtime break involved running down to the stadium to capture the image. But the plaza was still under construction.

By the time the book comes out next year, the stadium will look different. The brickwork will be finished, and the statue will rise above the plaza. My book will be out of date!

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