The Tree at Rockefeller Center

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The Tree at Rockefeller Center photographed in December 1987. The tree that year was a 75 ft (23m) high Norway Spruce, decorated with 18,000 lights.

The Tree at Rockefeller Center is an annual Christmas tree lighting that takes place in New York City's Rockefeller Center. The tree is erected and lit in early December or late-November. In recent years, the lighting has been broadcast live nationwide on NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center show.[1] The tree, usually a Norway spruce 75 to 90 feet (23 to 27 m) tall, has been put up every year since 1931.[2] In 2009, the tree was lit on December 2, and was scheduled to remain illuminated until the first week of January, 2010.[1]

Contents

[edit] Selection and decoration

David Murbach, Mgr. of the Gardens Division of Rockefeller Center, scouts in a helicopter for the desired tree in areas including Connecticut, Vermont, Ohio, New Jersey, and even Ottawa, Canada.[3] Once a suitable tree is located, a crane supports it while it is cut, and moves it to a custom telescoping trailer that can transport trees up to 125 feet (38 m) tall.

Once at the Rockefeller Center, the tree is supported by four guy wire attached at its midpoint, and by a steel spike at its base. Scaffolding is put up around the tree to assist workers in putting up 30,000 lights attached to 5 miles (8 km) of wiring.
The star that has topped the tree since 2004 is 9.5 feet (3 m) in diameter and weighs 550 pounds (249.5 kg). This "Swarovski Star" was created by German artist Michael Hammers, who in 2009 additionally designed an own star lighting production. [4] [5]

[edit] History

The tradition began during the Depression-era construction of Rockefeller Center, when workers decorated a small balsam fir tree with "strings of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tin cans" on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1931, as recounted by Daniel Okrent in his history of Rockefeller Center.[6]

The decorated Christmas tree remains lit at Rockefeller Center until the week after New Year's Day, when it is removed and recycled for a variety of uses. In 2007, the tree went "green," employing LED lights.[7] After being taken down, the tree was used to furnish lumber for Habitat for Humanity house construction.[8]

The first Tree at Rockefeller Center, erected by construction workers in 1931 shortly after the site was cleared

Trees used since 2003:

Year Original Location Tree Type Height
2009 Bethel, CT [9] Norway spruce 76 ft
2008 Hamilton, NJ [10] Norway spruce 72 ft
2007 Shelton, CT [11] Norway spruce 84 ft
2006 Ridgefield, CT[12] Norway spruce 88 ft
2005 Wayne, NJ[13] Norway spruce 74 ft
2004 Suffern, NY[14] Norway spruce 71 ft
2003 Manchester, CT[15] Norway spruce 79 ft

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Lambert, Bruce (December 5, 2008). "A Christmas Tree That Manhattan's Can Look Up To". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/nyregion/long-island/07treeli.html?scp=1&sq. Retrieved December 14, 2008. 
  2. ^ Tree Facts, 2007 (pdf), The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
  3. ^ "Rockefeller Center's tree". about.com. http://manhattan.about.com/od/historyandlandmarks/a/rockefellercent_5m.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  4. ^ "A Star Is Reborn". The New York Times. 2005-12-04. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/nyregion/thecity/04star.html?_r=1&fta=y&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2008-05-29. 
  5. ^ "A Star Makeover". The New York Times. 2009-11-18. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE2DA173AF93BA25752C1A96F9C8B63. Retrieved 2009-12-11. 
  6. ^ Daniel Okrent, Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center. New York: Viking Press, 2003 (p. 188) (ISBN 0-670-03169-0)
  7. ^ "The tree at Rockefeller Center". Rockefeller Center. 2007. http://www.thetreenyc.com/smartTree.php. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  8. ^ "LEDs will light up Rockefeller Christmas tree". 2007. http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/21/green.christmas.ap/index.html. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  9. ^ "Christmas tree going up in NY's Rockefeller Center". The Associated Press. 2009-11-12. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ivE9G8JKwGM3qANq3oAQlcRa65zAD9BTV1901. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  10. ^ "Hamilton tree headed for Rockefeller Center called 'miracle'". NJ.com. 2008-11-13. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/hamilton_tree_fheaded_or_rocke.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  11. ^ "H2007 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree From Shelton, Connecticut". About.com. 2007-11-09. http://forestry.about.com/b/2007/11/09/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-from-ridgefield-connecticut.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  12. ^ "Connecticut Tree Spruces Up Rockefeller Plaza". 2006-11-10. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177278,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  13. ^ "Katrina, Rita Kids Light Rockefeller Tree". 2005-12-01. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,177278,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  14. ^ "NYC - Rockefeller Christmas and Tree - New York City". http://www.newyorkled.com/moreNYseasonal_christmas_Rockefeller-Tree.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  15. ^ "NYC - Rockefeller Christmas and Tree - New York City". http://www.newyorkled.com/moreNYseasonal_christmas_Rockefeller-Tree.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 40°45′31″N 73°58′42″W / 40.75861°N 73.97833°W / 40.75861; -73.97833

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