The First Christmas Tree in America

The First Christmas Tree in America
Publicly lighted and displayed in a church Christmas service, stood where the Cleveland Public Auditorium now stands, a designated Cleveland landmark.

On that site once stood the original Zion Lutheran Church where on Christmas Eve, 1851, its pastor, Henry Schwan (1819-1905) introduced that first historic Christmas tree, a tradition he brought from Germany and which spread from that site throughout America.

The present location of Zion Lutheran Church is 2062 East 30th Street

The Cleveland Landmarks Commission
This historic marker given to the City of Cleveland by the Rotary Club of Cleveland


Submitted by
Bryan Arnold
@nanowhiskers