By Gale Metcalf
The Christmas spirit was as glowing as a Christmas tree in Kennewick 134 Christmas seasons ago.
The handful of families then comprising Kennewick– a dozen by one accounting – decided a Christmas celebration was in order for the community.
And that meant Kennewick had to have its "first" community Yule tree to help celebrate Christmas in 1890.
Kennewick was not yet an incorporated community. That would not come until 1904.
But, there was still a community spirit surrounding what did comprise the town, including the forming of a school district and the building of a new school house.
The building also became the Community Meeting Place and the place residents determined would host their Christmas festivities.
Committees were formed.
One committee was assigned to acquire an evergreen tree as the centerpiece of the festivities. Just two men comprised the committee, Charley Aune and Charles E. Lum.
"Aune was the chief local lineman for the Western Union Telegraph Company in this area," according to one local account of Kennewick's first community Christmas celebration. "Lum was a hardy early pioneer, one of the founders of Kennewick."
He once had captained a steamboat on the Mississippi River during the time Mark Twain's literary tales addressed life on the Mississippi. Aune had served in his native Norwegian Navy.
"Two finer, water wise. more powerful oarsmen could not be found," the historical accounting noted.
Kennewick sagebrush surroundings then, as now, were not noted for being flush with native evergreen trees. One would have to be found and imported. The two men boarded a skiff owned by Lum and began rowing down the Columbia River in search of Kennewick's first Christmas tree.
Finding a juniper grove near a sandy shore situated between the now defunct community of Ainsworth, then located approximately near the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers, and the community of Wallula in its original site now long since covered by waters officially known as Lake Wallula behind McNary Dam, the two men began their search.
"With much care and searching, they found a tree large enough for a beautiful community Christmas tree," the historical account noted. "The two men cut down the tree, then carried it over a mile to the skiff."
Laying it lengthwise in the craft, Lum climbed in and situated himself in the bow seat. Aune perched himself in the seat immediately behind Lum.
Heading downstream without the weight of the tree made for an easy trip. Not so coming back.
"The return trip up Homley Rapids was terrific," said an accounting of their ordeal. "Less skilled and weaker oarsmen would never have made it."
In the days of the free-flowing Columbia River before dams, rapids of different intensities were features of the river. Homley Rapids existed about seven miles below Pasco and was described as a "minor rapid."
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1911 described it as "the shoalest on the Columbia between Celilo and the mouth of the Snake River."
Like the original town of Wallula, relocated to its present site with the building of McNary Dam, Homley Rapids was submerged in 1954.
Sundown was setting in when the two boaters reached Kennewick and pulled into a moorage where Lum kept his skiff.
Dead tired, they rested briefly before retrieving the tree and carrying it another half mile to the school house where it was erected.
"Chains of strung popcorn and wild rose hips were draped and festooned around the tree," according to a description of Kennewick's first Christmas tree.
Christmas tree candles and holders had been ordered from Walla Walla but did not arrive. That was just fine with one of Kennewick's Christmas celebrants, Charles Jason Beach, who greeted other arriving celebrants at the door. In the Chicago fire of 1871, his entire family was almost lost.
"He arranged coal oil lanterns to give light to the tree," accounts noted. "They were not decorative but gave sufficient light."
Among other committees formed was one comprising only women in the community. They were charged with decorating the tree and preparing a Santa Claus outfit.
Materials for the outfit were ordered from Walla Walla. The necessary red calico was arranged for piecing together the coat, pants and cap of the Santa Claus outfit, and cotton batting for proper trim. Materials also were ordered for making a beard for Santa.
Boots were plenty in Kennewick to complement the suit.
Plans called for Santa to knock on the door when residents were inside celebrating. Invited in, he was to stroll to the tree ladened with presents, and to dispurse them among the Christmas celebrants.
"Almost every family of the community came to the celebration," according to a description of the Christmas celebration. "It was a merry gathering.
"They enjoyed the entertainment (and) many met for the first time."