Early Christmas trees in Jewell County

In 1621, following the first Thanksgiving, there were no Christmas traditions in what would become the United States. Neither the Puritans nor the Pilgrims observed or celebrated Christmas. In fact in 1659, one could be fined for hanging a decoration or having anything other than a church service related to Christmas.

It was not until 1870 that Christmas was to become a legal holiday in the United States.  1870 was also the first year Christmas was celebrated by the pioneer settlers in Jewell County. In July of 1870, two hundred five persons were counted by the census. It is not known how many more settlers arrived before Christmas but it seems safe to say there were only a few hundred celebrating Christmas of 1870 in Jewell County.

A staple of the holiday, the Christmas tree, did not became popular in the United States until the 1840s. Christmas trees were more widely accepted, in England and the eastern United States, after 1846. That was when the popular Queen Victoria was depicted in a sketch with her family around a decorated Christmas tree. 

But Christmas trees in Jewell County in 1870? Perhaps, but also consider where the settlers were living – dugouts and sod homes. Not lots of room for Christmas trees. But the early settlers found places for Christmas trees.

The earliest mention of a Christmas tree found in Jewell County comes from the 1876 newspapers. The Dec. 14, 1876, Jewell County Monitor (Mankato) announced, “Arrangements are being made to have a Christmas tree in the school house in District 20.” District 20 was East Buffalo located in Section 8 of Buffalo Township.

The next week’s paper, the Monitor’s Dec. 21 edition related “The M.E. Sabbath School is going to have a Christmas tree on Christmas night at Rubens School House.”  Rubens was located in Richland Township, Section 10. The old town site is now under the waters of Lovewell Lake.

The Dec. 21, 1876, Jewell County Monitor reported, “It has been decided by our people here to have a Christmas Tree on Monday night, Dec. 25, at the School House.” The article goes on to tell people how to get presents placed on the tree and the event was to be as “entertaining and profitable” as possible.  

The next year more items appeared telling of Christmas trees with presents, singing and celebration.  Jewell City’s Dec. 22, 1877, Jewell County Diamond tells of the “Grand Union Christmas Tree at Mark’s Hall on Christmas Eve, all the churches and Sunday schools in the city having very wisely concluded to consolidate and have a good time together.”

In the 1879 papers, Christmas tree events were announced for Burr Oak, Jewell City, White Rock, Star School house, Stover School house, the John Gaston School house with other unannounced events likely. All these years later in 2022, Christmas trees abound in Jewell County.  In our early history – few and far between.