Peace Candle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peace Candle |
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The Peace Candle in the Centre Square of Easton, Pennsylvania, in November 2009.
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| Location | Easton, Pennsylvania |
| Established | December 10, 1951 |
The Peace Candle is a very tall structure put up each holiday season in Easton, Pennsylvania. It looks like a giant candle and stands about 106 feet (32 meters) tall. Workers build it every year over the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument. This monument is a Civil War memorial in the city's Centre Square. The candle is usually put together in mid-November. It is then lit up over Thanksgiving weekend. It stays up until early February.
The first Peace Candle was built in 1951. It has been put up almost every year since then. The candle has been replaced twice because of damage or age. The first candle lasted until 1968. The second one was used from 1969 to 1989. The candle you see today was built in 1990. This special structure honors all the men and women from the Easton area who have served in the U.S. armed forces. Many people say it is the biggest non-wax Christmas candle in the country. City leaders hoped it would bring back Easton's old reputation for amazing Christmas decorations. They also wanted it to be a symbol of peace for everyone. Because it stands for peace and covers a war monument, the candle has been a place for anti-war protests. Some people don't like the Peace Candle. They say it makes Christmas too commercial. Others don't like that it covers a war monument.
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What the Peace Candle Looks Like
The Peace Candle has changed a few times over the years. The candle used today was built in 1990. The main candle part is about 94 feet (28.6 meters) tall. With its base, it reaches about 106 feet (32 meters). When you add the monument it sits on, it's about 118 feet (36 meters) above the ground.
To build the candle, workers place several large box-like pieces around the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument. These pieces are made of strong plywood and steel. They are stacked up and bolted together. The flame on top of the candle is about 15 feet (4.5 meters) high. It glows with 31 light bulbs. The whole structure weighs between eight and 10 tons. Four smaller candles, each 15 feet (4.5 meters) tall, stand around the main candle. A fountain at the base of the candle is filled with a ring of Christmas trees.
Many believe the Peace Candle is the largest non-wax Christmas candle in the United States. Easton city officials have sometimes called it the largest candle in the world. However, a candle-like structure in Schlitz, Germany, is taller at 138 feet (42 meters). The Peace Candle is taller than the Guinness World Record for the tallest wax candle. But Guinness only counts wax candles for that record.
How the Peace Candle Started
Easton was one of the first cities in America to have amazing Christmas decorations. Its streets were filled with bright lights and ornaments. People believe Easton was also home to America's first Christmas tree in 1816. German immigrants brought this tradition with them. By the mid-1900s, Christmas decorations in Easton became less popular.
In 1951, a woman named Mrs. Hutton Hughes wrote a letter to the local newspaper. She asked for a new holiday lighting program in the city. The Easton Area Christmas Committee was formed to bring back Easton's famous holiday spirit. They wanted a special Christmas display in Centre Square. This would be the main point of the holiday program. It would also help local shops.
Many ideas were suggested. One idea was to pile evergreen trees around the Civil War monument. But this was too expensive. Another idea was a giant candy cane on top of the monument. This was thought to be too ordinary. Then, an Easton resident named Virginia Purdy suggested a large candle. She said it would be a symbol of peace and good feelings. Her idea was accepted.
Easton Councilman Frank Bechtel led the committee. W. Nilan Jones was in charge of building the candle. Jones and architect William Tydeman figured out how to build a wooden candle around the monument. Jones drew plans for a 96-foot (29-meter) tall candle. Volunteers and local workers helped build it. A local company, Bean, Inc., provided equipment.
Just before building started, Tydeman realized the design was too tall. Strong winds could knock it over. He resigned to protect his company. But he helped find a safer design. They decided to make the candle shorter. The new plan was for an 80-foot (24-meter) tall candle.
The structure was first called the Christmas Candle. Building began on December 8, 1951. Workers used a crane to place heavy plywood sections around the monument. The candle was red with gold and silver speckles. Green fir trees were placed around its base. An electric neon "flame" was put on top. The flame was a cage of curved steel bars with yellow neon lights. It was placed over a bugler statue on the monument. A yellow cotton sack was put over the statue to make it look more like a flame. Plastic "wax drippings" hung down from the top. The first Christmas Candle cost about $3,390. All the money came from donations.
The First Candle (1951-1968)
On December 10, 1951, Easton Mayor Joseph Morrison turned on the lights for the first time. A priest, a rabbi, and a minister joined him. This showed the candle was a symbol of peace for all religions. Between 500 and 1,000 people came to the ceremony. The decorations also included Christmas trees and smaller candles. A plaque honored local service members. The nearby Northampton Street bridge also had Christmas lights. Nightly choir concerts were held in front of the candle. Downtown shops decorated their windows. The display was so big that airplanes flying over the city noticed it.
The next day, a light in the flame short-circuited. It caused a small fire on the yellow cotton sack. The fire caused only minor damage. But the bugler statue inside the flame was visible for the rest of the season. Even with this small problem, the Christmas Candle was a big success. The committee decided to make it a yearly event.
In 1952, a new, fireproof flame was designed. It looked more realistic. The display grew each year. The city council began calling it "the world's largest Christmas candle." By 1957, 3,000 evergreen trees were placed around Centre Square. More than 500 people attended the lighting ceremony that year.
In 1961, the candle was getting old and needed many repairs. The committee also had trouble raising money. So, they decided not to put it up that year. Instead, they used 24 streams of colorful Christmas lights. These lights hung from the monument like an umbrella. This "umbrella of Christmas lights" was used for the next five years.
In 1965, people started saying Easton's holiday decorations weren't as good. Councilman Henry Schultz worked to bring the candle back. Volunteers helped repair it. A new, brighter flame was built. The candle was put up and lit again on November 25, 1966. It was the first time in six years. More than 400 people came to the ceremony.
In 1967, the Christmas Candle was renamed the Peace Candle. The city wanted to sell Christmas cards with its picture. They hoped Easton would become known as "the Peace Candle city." On November 27, 1967, about 1,500 people attended the lighting. Bells from six churches rang. People held lit wax candles. A national children's newspaper, Weekly Reader, featured the Peace Candle. They said it was a symbol for both Hanukkah and Christmas.
The Second Candle (1969-1989)
In October 1968, a fire at the storage plant destroyed the four smaller candles. The fire was likely started by someone playing with matches. City officials decided to build an entirely new candle. The original plywood candle was replaced with a stronger one. It was made of fiberglass and steel. The new candle was 90 feet (27.4 meters) tall, taller than the first. Its flame was made of fiberglass strips with lights that changed colors. This made it look like a real burning flame. Four new smaller candles were also built. They were 20 feet (6 meters) tall. Special lighting made the Peace Candle flicker realistically.
The new candle was first lit on November 28, 1969. About 450 people attended. Mayor Fred Ashton Jr. turned on the switch. A minister spoke, saying the candle should be a symbol of peace.
The new candle had some small problems over the years. In 1970, heavy rain snapped a support wire. Lights were stolen from the Christmas trees. In 1971, vandals damaged the fiberglass panels where the candle was stored. In 1974, the candle was lit only a few hours a night due to an energy crisis. This caused donations to drop.
In November 1975, new concrete was poured in Centre Square. The Peace Candle could not be put up without damaging the new work. So, a Christmas tree lighting was held instead. In 1976, a contractor helped put up the candle for free. Local workers and businesses also helped. In 1978, famous boxer Larry Holmes, who was from Easton, turned on the lights.
In 1980, Mayor Philip Mitman dedicated the candle to American hostages held in Iran. In 1983, strong winds caused the candle to tilt. The bugler statue inside almost toppled over. Workers had to fix it and reinforce the statue. In 1988, high winds again damaged the candle. It had to be taken down early in January 1989.
The Third Candle (1990-Present)
By 1989, the Peace Candle was very old and damaged. Strong winds had even knocked off parts of it. Mayor Sal Panto Jr. announced that the candle might not go up again. The support structure was too weak, and there weren't enough donations for repairs. The committee was only getting about $3,000 a year. The mayor said, "The sad reality is, this is the last year."
But new fundraising efforts began. People wanted to raise $20,000 for a new candle. Local businesses and unions volunteered their time and materials. The Lehigh Valley Carpenters Union worked many hours to get the candle ready for 1990. The new candle was designed by several companies. It looked almost exactly like the old one. It had eight floodlights to light up its white shaft. The new candle cost $35,000 to build. But with all the volunteers, the mayor said it would have cost around $150,000. To cover the remaining costs, the city sold Christmas cards, posters, ornaments, and "Peace Candle ownership shares." The first lighting for the new candle was on November 23, 1990.
On January 12, 1999, spotlights around the candle accidentally turned on. The heat started a fire among the Christmas trees. Firefighters put out the blaze. Only the trees were damaged. New spotlights were installed in 2000. These lit the candle from top to bottom.
In 2001, some committee members resigned because they couldn't raise enough money. But new volunteers stepped up. The Peace Candle was lit on November 23, 2001. It was dedicated to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the rescue workers.
In 2003, strong winds knocked a piece of fiberglass off the candle. No one was hurt. In 2004, a filmmaker made a documentary about the Peace Candle. It showed how the candle was assembled and included interviews. In 2008, people worried the candle wouldn't go up. But a trade union volunteered to put it up.
In 2007, Mayor Phil Mitman dedicated the lighting to troops in Iraq and all veterans. In 2009, a judge won an eBay auction to flip the switch for the lighting ceremony. In 2010, the committee chairwoman worried the candle might need to be replaced sooner than expected. Two young cousins, MaryElizabeth Soffera and Katie Dietrich, loved the candle. They opened a snow cone stand and raised $23 for it. They gave the money to Mayor Sal Panto Jr.
Protests and Vigils
Because it stands for peace and is on a Civil War monument, the Peace Candle has been a place for anti-war protests. On December 16, 1972, Vietnam War protesters asked the city council to keep the candle up all year. They wanted it to stay lit until the war ended. The council said it wasn't possible due to insurance and weather. The protesters also asked the city to officially name it the Peace Candle. The council said it already had that name.
In 1975, an activist group formed a "human peace candle" in front of the real one. This was a protest against the Vietnam War. Three people formed a triangle, and another stood on their shoulders. He held a lit candle and a sign that said, "Bring the troops home for Christmas and the rest of the year."
In 1981, a Polish labor union held a peace rally. They had a candlelight vigil and prayers for peace in Poland. In 1991, the city decided to leave the Peace Candle up until the Gulf War ended. This was to honor the American troops. People tied yellow ribbons around the candle to support the troops. Protesters tied black ribbons for those who died. The candle was taken down in March after the war ended.
On November 14, 2015, the candle was lit almost two weeks early. A local resident asked for it on Facebook to show support for Paris, France. This was after a terrorist attack there. Many people responded, so the city held a vigil. Hundreds of residents attended. Prayers were offered in different languages and faiths. The candle stayed lit for three days.
Criticism of the Peace Candle
Some people in Easton have always been critical of the Peace Candle. They say it's a cheap symbol of Christmas becoming too commercial. They don't think it's a good way to show peace. Many also dislike that it covers the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument. They see this as disrespectful to veterans. Critics also argue that the candle is too expensive to maintain each year.
In 1982, 90 people signed a petition. They asked the city council to stop putting up the Peace Candle. They called it a "flashy symbol of inner-city decay." They wanted to replace it with evergreen trees. This would honor Easton's claim of having America's first Christmas tree. But the city rejected the petition. A survey showed that most residents supported the Peace Candle.
Images for kids
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An Easton public works employee stands next to artificial flames for the smaller candles. Below, the box pieces are prepared for disassembly.
