Employees of Gill Construction carefully hoist Port Clinton’s beautiful Blue Spruce Christmas Tree into position using a crane.

BY PHIL WHEELER

It’s the Holiday Season, and decorations are going up all over Port Clinton, including a gorgeous Blue Spruce at the corner of Madison and Perry streets. On Wednesday, Nov. 10, workers raised the freshly-cut tree into position with the help of two cranes and a flatbed tractor trailer.

Men, equipment, and time for the job were donated by Gill Construction.

“It’s a neat thing that we do every year. We feel honored to do it for the community,” said Business Manager Andy Schlagheck,

The tree was cut down and placed on a flatbed trailer, then moved to its new downtown home, where it was gently placed into a specially designed manhole that is about 2½ feet deep. The manhole was dug specifically for this purpose some years ago.

Stones fill the bottom of the hole, and around the edges are anchor wedges attached to wire supports connected to the tree. Wooden wedges are driven into the manhole around the tree to secure it in place.

The 20-foot tree was donated to the city by the Marshall Brink family, and had stood in their front yard for more than 20 years. It had grown too large for the space, and the family was glad that it could be put to good use.

Some of the pine cones were saved in the hopes of growing a new tree as a replacement.

“Over the next few days they’ll decorate this tree with lights,” said Mayor Mike Snider as he watched the Christmas Tree lowered into place. “Next Saturday, Nov. 20, during the 6th annual Sip and Shop downtown shopping celebration, there will be a brief tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.”