O Christmas Tree
Imgard’s spruce may not have been the first, but it’s sparked a long-running Wooster tradition. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA
W
ooster Cemetery manager Kelvin Questel has an up-close view of the parade of visitors to one particular graveside each holiday season. His office, you see, is quite near the final resting place of one August Imgard (1826–1904), and the tree on that spot is quite the Yuletide draw. “People come at all times of the day and evening to see the tree,” says Questel. “Many of them are interested in history, or they decorated the tree when they were kids and now bring their kids to see it.” Although Questel is unsure when the tradition of trimming Imgard’s tomb-side tree began, he does know why the ritual is unique to Wooster: In 1847, Imgard was a 19-year-old immigrant from Germany living at his brother’s house in Wooster and grew homesick for his native country’s customs, especially around Christmastime. So, he went to the woods near Apple Creek, cut down a spruce tree, and positioned it in a window, adorned with nuts, apples, sweets, and candles. He even had a tinsmith make a star for the top of the tree. The novelty of turning an evergreen into an indoor decoration caused something of a sensation. People from all over town came to gaze at Imgard’s tree in wonder and
34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • DECEMBER 2021
