August Imgard - Christmas Tree

Newspaper articles

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  WR 27 Dec 1899

Articles on First Christmas Tree in Wooster

The Wooster Republican Wednesday, December 27, 1899. Page 1, Column 5

First X-mas Tree Was Trimmed in Wooster Fifty-One Years Ago. Has kept it up ever since.

“August Imgard, Who Is Still Living, Has the Honor of Starting the Custom in Wooster Which Has Brought So Much Pleasure to Young and Old – Made the First Trimmings Himself – First Tree Was a Great Curiosity.

“August Imgard, of Beall avenue, has the distinction of having decorated the first Christmas tree erected in Wooster. This was 51 years ago when the custom was unknown here. Mr. Imgard came to the country a few months before and at the approach of the holiday season his thoughts wandered back to the Fatherland and he decided that the children of his brother, F. L. Imgard, should have a tree.

“In speaking of it this morning, Mr. Imgard said that he knew where some spruce trees were. He started out to get one that would be suitable. He walked up Apple creek, taking the north side to the point that in later years became known as the ‘Spruce Dam.’ On getting to where the trees were he found that the creek was so high that he could not get across, walked down the stream to where a tree had fallen over the creek and selected a tree. On getting back to the log on which he had crossed he was forced to fasten his Christmas tree about his neck and crawl across the log on his hands and knees. Mr. Imgard said that people gazed at him with great curiosity as he came into town carrying his tree. Christmas trees being unknown, there were of course, no decorations to be bought, and he made some himself and had others constructed. The people from all parts of the town came and gazed on the tree with wonderful amazement.

“During the next year Mr. Imgard prevailed on the father of H. J. Kauffman, who then conducted a notion and cigar store in the room where the Adams Express office is now located to buy some Christmas tree ornaments when he went to Baltimore to buy goods. He did so, bought a whole wheel barrow full. The next Christmas a number of others who came from Germany had trees, and the beautiful custom has been very generally adopted not only in Wooster, but all over the county.

“Mr. Imgard still keeps up the custom he started more than half a century ago. True, his children have all left the parental roof, but he finds as much pleasure in trimming the trees for his grandchildren as he did for his own. But the trees of the present are creations of art as compared to those of even 5 years ago, and those go up by “Grandpa” Imgard are marvelous affairs.”