Program and Luncheon

The Fortnightly

November 6, 2018

On November 6^th, Dames and their guests heard the fascinating story about the first Chicago Christmas Tree ship that perished in a storm off Wisconsin in 1912 loaded with 5,000 Christmas Trees.  The Captain’s wife and daughters kept the mission and family business alive for many years, thus for about 30 years between 1890 – 1920’s, Chicagoans would greet the Christmas Tree ship when it docked on the river at Clark Street to purchase their Christmas Trees.  The vessel was finally found in 1970 and amazingly most of the Christmas trees still stored on the vessel were in perfect condition!  The vessel was in just deep enough water that it was rarely disturbed and the temperature just right for preserving of the trees.