Reading, PAs Ugly Christmas Tree

[jeff of pa]

Reading, PA's 'Ugly' Christmas Tree

READING, Pa. (AP) — Reading's official Christmas tree has brought the city plenty of grief. Good grief.
When the 50-foot Norway spruce went up last month, it drew immediate comparisons to the scraggly sapling in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Its giant bare spots and asymmetrical branches were no one's idea of Christmas tree perfection — especially in Pennsylvania, one of the nation's largest producers. Some residents and city officials called it an embarrassment and demanded it be replaced with a more suitable specimen.

soooo Workers wrapped a blue blanket around its base — a la Linus — and adorned it with a single red ball.




Reading, PA's 'Ugly' Charlie Brown-Themed Christmas Tree Has More Holiday Spirit Than Most

 

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[worldtalker]

READING, Pa. (AP) — Reading's official Christmas tree has brought the city plenty of grief. Good grief.
When the 50-foot Norway spruce went up last month, it drew immediate comparisons to the scraggly sapling in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Its giant bare spots and asymmetrical branches were no one's idea of Christmas tree perfection — especially in Pennsylvania, one of the nation's largest producers. Some residents and city officials called it an embarrassment and demanded it be replaced with a more suitable specimen.

soooo Workers wrapped a blue blanket around its base — a la Linus — and adorned it with a single red ball.


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Reading, PA's 'Ugly' Charlie Brown-Themed Christmas Tree Has More Holiday Spirit Than Most

Guess they got other things to spend the money on??

 

[davest]

have you ever been to Reading? I was born and raised in the suburbs near the airport.

The city is the pits and it has gone downhill since the manufacturing pullout of the early 80s. Hell, I worked at TMW, Caloric, QuakerMaid Kitchens, Vanity Fair, Camp Industries and a slew of other places right after high school and could see the decline.

When the Mariel Boatlift happened blocks of houses were given away to the new immigrants and a bodega sprung up on everyother street corner.

Reading has a lot of other things to spend it's money on, bet on it, but a Christmas Tree is a great one too. Those city workers adapted and overcame don't ya think?

There are some great areas to detect around the city, many of them have never seen more than 1 detector(mine), that's the advantage of growing up in a place in the 50s & 60s

 

[jeff of pa]

have you ever been to Reading? I was born and raised in the suburbs near the airport.

The city is the pits and it has gone downhill since the manufacturing pullout of the early 80s. Hell, I worked at TMW, Caloric, QuakerMaid Kitchens, Vanity Fair, Camp Industries and a slew of other places right after high school and could see the decline.

When the Mariel Boatlift happened blocks of houses were given away to the new immigrants and a bodega sprung up on everyother street corner.

Reading has a lot of other things to spend it's money on, bet on it, but a Christmas Tree is a great one too. Those city workers adapted and overcame don't ya think?

There are some great areas to detect around the city, many of them have never seen more than 1 detector(mine), that's the advantage of growing up in a place in the 50s & 60s

I would guess I have been In & Through Reading maybe a dozen or 2 times in my Life.
First time was on a trip to Albright college to see Aerosmith.
at one point I took a wrong turn & ended up on a dead end street in what Looked like a thousand year old Business District slum and it was dark already.
this would have been late 70's I believe.
was the only time I remember thinking WOW ! I would really not want to break down now
was down to the Pagoda to check it out once too

 

[pong12211]

At least they made and attempt I guess. Times are tough I suppose

 

[davest]

the Pagoda is pretty cool, if you can catch it when it's open. The fire tower is pretty cool too, but off limits to walking up since the late 70s. There's not a lot of places to detect on Skyline Drive but the walls along the road were built by the WPA and they are intact except where people have run into or over them (dumb bastages). They used to have the Duyrea Drive hillclimbs there in the 60s and people would stand along the winding roads and watch porsches, jags, mgs etc race to the top. There were concession stands along the same right of ways and btw, did I say it was in the 60s?

nudder little known fact about Reading, If you're on Skyline Drive at night with your significant squeeze, you can look out over the city and see that the Warren Street bypass and the Morgantown Express way spell out the word, S--t. No kidding. I spent a great deal of time on those little parking pulloffs during those years.

I think I'll have to check with my old time friends in Reading to see what they think of the tree.

 

[jeff of pa]

the Pagoda is pretty cool, if you can catch it when it's open. The fire tower is pretty cool too, but off limits to walking up since the late 70s. There's not a lot of places to detect on Skyline Drive but the walls along the road were built by the WPA and they are intact except where people have run into or over them (dumb bastages). They used to have the Duyrea Drive hillclimbs there in the 60s and people would stand along the winding roads and watch porsches, jags, mgs etc race to the top. There were concession stands along the same right of ways and btw, did I say it was in the 60s?

nudder little known fact about Reading, If you're on Skyline Drive at night with your significant squeeze, you can look out over the city and see that the Warren Street bypass and the Morgantown Express way spell out the word, S--t. No kidding. I spent a great deal of time on those little parking pulloffs during those years.

I think I'll have to check with my old time friends in Reading to see what they think of the tree.

they used to run those races up the Lebanon county side of Gold Mine Road
in the 70's , also a few other spots. not sure what happened.
Laws, Lack of interest, insurance $$$ or a death

the Walls made of tires still exist at some corners