According to Adam Zurn, the Executive Director of Uncharted Lancaster, America’s first Christmas tree was documented in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

“Believe it or not, it probably wasn't the first Christmas tree here in America, but it's definitely the first documented Christmas tree. Probably the people who first saw Christmas trees here in the United States were the guards in Carlisle guarding Hessian troops who were mercenaries the time during the Revolutionary War.”

While the Germans were in America fighting the war, they brought the idea of Christmas tree’s and were allowed to decorate their barracks with them.

“Believe it or not, the first recorded example of a Christmas tree is in 1821 by this Matthias, Zahm and in his 1821 diary he records this entry, and I quote Sally & our Thos was out for Christmas Trees on the hill at Kendricks sawmill. And so there we have this documented proof of this first, you know, Christmas tree. And they were here in Lancaster County. So, a neat little claim to fame here for our area.”

It is unlikely that the first actual Christmas tree was in Lancaster County, let alone the united states, however it is the earliest recorded example of one.

Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.