Peace Candle of the World facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peace Candle of the World |
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| Location | Scappoose, Oregon |
| Established | May 9, 1971 |
The Peace Candle of the World, also called the Scappoose Peace Candle, is a huge tower in Scappoose, Oregon. It looks like a giant candle and stands about 50 feet (15 meters) tall. It was built to be a symbol of world peace.
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The Peace Candle of the World
How the Giant Candle Was Made
The Peace Candle was built in 1971. It was placed outside a factory called Brock Candles Inc. This factory made candles. The land where it stands used to be a dairy farm. The factory owner, Darrel Brock, wanted a big advertisement. He covered a tall storage building, called a silo, with 45,000 pounds (about 20,400 kg) of red candle wax. This made it look like a giant candle.
Lighting Up the Candle
The candle first had a real wick, just like a normal candle. On May 9, 1971, the mayor of Scappoose and the Governor of Oregon, Tom McCall, lit it. They used a very long, special match. The President of the United States at the time, Richard Nixon, was asked to light it but said no.
It was hard to keep the wick lit, especially when it rained. So, they changed it. A natural gas line was put inside the candle. This created a real flame at the top. But this cost a lot of money for gas. It also wasn't good for the environment. So, the gas flame was replaced. Now, an electric neon light looks like a flame on top.
A World Record Holder?
The Peace Candle of the World once held a Guinness World Record. It was named the world's largest candle. However, it later lost this record. The new record went to a much taller wax candle. That candle was 127 feet (39 meters) tall. It was shown at an exhibition in Stockholm, Sweden, way back in 1897.
The Scappoose Peace Candle is easy to see. It sits next to U.S. Route 30. You can spot it from the highway. In the past, the candle was recoated with different colors. This was done to match the seasons. For example, it was red for Christmas. In the fall, it had many colors. Over time, the wax was replaced. More durable, wax-like materials are used now.
A Symbol of Peace
The main idea behind the candle is to show a wish for world peace. During the Christmas season, the Scappoose Peace Candle gets decorated. It is covered with many strands of Christmas lights.
The area around the Peace Candle has grown a lot recently. Because of this growth, some local people worry. They are concerned that the candle might be taken down for new buildings.
In June 2015, the Weather Channel website picked the Peace Candle. They called it Oregon's "Most Incredible Roadside Attraction." This was part of a list for every state.
