(The following account of the first Christmas tree in Arizona comes from Orick Jackson’s "The White Conquest of Arizona" as presented in "History of Arizona" by Thomas Edwin Farish, Arizona Historian, Volume IV, Filmer Brothers, San Francisco 1916, pp 89-92.)

"There is one Arizonan alive to-day (1916) who holds a unique station among men, and who enjoys a distinction that is beautiful and praiseworthy. His name is J. N. Rodenburg, and to him belongs the honor of being the first man who conceived the idea of zealously and fervently observing the birth of the Savior in a wild land, and providing the first Christmas tree to be erected in Arizona. This tribute to Christianity was initiated by him under conditions that would seem in this day of peace and plenty as difficult of execution, but those who are yet alive bear evidence to it in its every detail.

"Every desert has its oasis. When the day arrived that Arizona was to have its first Christmas tree, and the birth of the Savior was to be fittingly celebrated, there was evidence of much humorous curiosity among the frontiersmen as to how the plan was to be carried out.

"Where were the goods and wares, toys, candies, and the like to be had? And where were the children to come from to brighten the occasion, as is so customary in events of this character? A census was taken and in the skirmish seven eligible ‘kids’ were rounded up, together with a half a dozen others who were still young, but grown tall. Mr. Rodenburg then got into the theological harness, and, with an escort of six men went into the woods to get the tree end of the occasion. A beautiful fir was secured, and the Indians permitted the party to return in safety.

"This tree was erected in Rodenburg’s house, and thus was the ‘big doings’ started. A call was issued to the public for the presents to ornament the tree. In that day, over forty years ago, the stores carried absolutely nothing in the line of toys or trinkets, candies or bonbons, and it was here that the first serious problem confronted the committee. A big stock of brown sugar was purchased and, with the assistance of a New Orleans negro, three kinds of blackjack were skillfully moulded. This settled the sweet end of the programme, the candy being encased in manilla paper bags glued together with flour paste.

"The tree must have illumination, so the market was searched for all the tallow candles obtainable. These were cut in two, and after being tied to the limbs with ordinary twine, another obstacle was conquered. There was a scarcity of ribbons to give the scene the beauty and brilliancy necessary, but the bottom of every trunk was scoured among the ladies who had recently arrived from the east, and a few bolts were donated. Various crude toys and goods were then manufactured by men conversant with the handling of tools, or skilled in such handiwork. Quite a respectable collection was secured in this manner, everybody contributing something that he either could manufacture or purchase.

"But the most important consideration yet faced the committee, and that was to secure music for the event. An inventory of the burg disclosed that there was but one musical instrument to be found – a violin, out of tune, and minus a string. The owner was conversant with but one air – The Arkansaw Traveller (sic.). This was humiliating to the directors, but there must be melody, and after the operator was admonished to play something half way through and then to repeat it with a change in cadence, the day arrived for the event – .

"The little home was jammed, and the men who usually wore hard-looking countenances, and in their reckless careers were accustomed to the rougher side of human life, recalled the long ago in old New England when they, too, were young, and when they also went up to get what was coming as their names were called out by the Superintendent of the Sunday School. So they weakened, as it were, and each gave himself up to the spirit of the day with a joyousness that was in harmony with their lives when they were home with the old folks beyond the Rockies."

In addition to Jackson’s account, Sharlot Hall has written of Christmas 1864: "Christmas day and Christmas night, the Governor (Goodwin) kept open house to all who came, and this included many men from the Lynx Creek mining camps – the placer mines. Sam Miller, who was the town hunter, furnished deer, antelope, and wild turkeys in great quantity, and a large beef from one of the ox trains was killed and divided with all the families. There was a dance Christmas night and everybody in the whole region attended, and danced on the dirt floors ’til morning."

Please read also Sharlot Hall’s full account of Christmas 1864, Days Past for Nov 28 and Dec 5, 2009

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(photo by Kathy Krause) Reuse only by permission.

This Christmas tree in the Governor’s Mansion at Sharlot Hall Museum today is decorated with handmade and natural items just as the one that stood in the Rodenburg home in 1864.

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(citn235p) Reuse only by permission.