(Atlantic) For the past three years, Atlantic’s Official Christmas Tree has stood at the top of Sixth and Chestnut Streets, becoming a holiday tradition in the community.
The tradition began in 2023 with a generous donation from Randy and Marsha Watts. The United Church of Christ continued the tradition in 2024, followed by John and Lisa Krogman, who donated another beautiful tree last year.
Atlantic City Councilman Jeremy Butler explained to the rest of the council at Wednesday’s meeting, that the original plan was to use the top portion of a large tree located at his local church. However, after inspecting the tree, organizers discovered it forked about six feet off the ground and was quite wet. The crane needed to remove it weighs approximately 32,000 pounds, creating concerns about safely taking it down.
While driving down Olive Street, a replacement tree caught Butler’s eye. Butler joked about dressing as the Grinch, with Mayor Rob Clausen portraying Max, for a nighttime tree-cutting mission.
Butler contacted the property owner, who was happy to have the tree removed because it had been somewhat of a nuisance. The tree is located in the city’s right-of-way, allowing crews to access it from the street without disturbing anyone’s yard.
With the replacement secured, Atlantic will once again have a Christmas tree for its downtown holiday celebration.
