Wellsboro: The Town That Saved Christmas

Robin O’Neal Smith Travel Writer https//RobinONealSmith.com

WELLSBORO - Imagine Christmas trees without ornaments. During World War II, that is almost what happened. A small town in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, labeled Wellsboro, is a quintessential Christmas Village along Route 6 and nestled in the Allegheny Mountains came to the rescue. It is home to an extraordinary holiday story that is a part of history you may not know.

Let’s look at how it all began and why Wellsboro, “The Town That Saved Christmas,” should be on your Christmas travel list.

The Penn Wells Hotel hosted our visit. All opinions are my own.

History

Prior to World War II, the majority of Christmas ornaments were made of blown glass and imported from Germany. When Adolph Hitler’s forces invaded Poland, and the war was underway, there was a British blockade of goods from Europe, and the United States would no longer receive the 250 million ornaments imported each year. No one in the States was creating ornaments. Retailers would lose money, andtrees would have no ornaments.

German immigrant Max Eckardt, who handled the distribution of ornaments to the F.W. Woolworth Company and other stores, knew he had to find a solution to the problem quickly. He wanted to find a producer of ornaments on U.S. soil.

He eventually turned to Corning Glass and asked them to help him find a solution. Corning Glass stepped up to the plate. The Wellsboro Corning factory produced lightbulbs less than fifty miles from Corning headquarters. It was at the forefront of advancements in providing safe, indoor, electric lighting and was renowned for its productivity and innovations.

The Wellsboro Corning factory was instructed to change the light bulb production to glass ornaments. The factory already had a highspeed ribbon machine and, once retrofitted, could mass produce the ornaments labeled “Shiny Brite.”

Made In U.S.A.

The deal provided a United States manufacturing base for the ornaments, and Eckardt could also promote ornaments “Made in U.S.A.” He also designed the original Shiny Brite ornament boxes with Uncle Sam shaking the hand of Santa Claus. It was a win for all involved.

In the first year of operation, Wellsboro’s Corning employees produced over 40 million Shiny Brite ornaments and stocked the shelves in stores all over America. Your grandparents probably purchased Shiny Brite ornaments for their tree. The Shiny Brite manufacturing tradition continued for several decades, and the quaint town of Wellsboro took great pride in the notoriety as “The Town That Saved Christmas.”

Shiny Brite Ornaments

Wellsboro manufactured 90% of all Christmas Ornaments worldwide from 1940 through 1979. The ornaments were sold at Ben Franklin, Woolworth, and J.J. Newberry stores.

As the years passed, they updated and improved their processes. A gentleman from Wellsboro developed the shrink wrap process, taking images from artwork and photos and printing them on the ornaments.

They began making popular shaped ornaments such as Santa Claus and bells.

If you are fortunate enough to find a Shiny Brite Ornament box, it most likely does not list Wellsboro, PA, as the address. They list “Made in the U.S.A. or a New Jersey address that was the address of Max Eckard’s company. But all Shiny Brite ornaments were made in Wellsboro. Eventually, plastic replaced the glass ornaments, and demand dropped significantly. The Corning glass plant that created the Shiny Brite ornaments and shaped the town’s industrial legacy closed in 2016.

Shiny Brites Still on Display

You can still view some beautiful Shiny Brite ornaments in Wellsboro. The Penn Wells Hotel lobby hosts a year-round display of Shiny Brite Ornaments, which form a large American flag. The Wellsboro Division of the Corning Glass Works (CGW) created the flag made of Shiny Brite ornaments to honor returning World War II veterans in 1946. The flag appeared in LIFE magazine and was eventually gifted to the Penn Wells Hotel.

Holiday Events in Wellsboro

During December, Christmas trees and wreaths placed on gas-lit lamp posts decorate the main streets of Wellsboro.

Wellsboro hosts two holiday events in December: Dickens of a Christmas and Christmas on Main Street.

Dickens Of A Christmas

Wellsboro is known for its “Dickens Of A Christmas” celebration sponsored by the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce. The annual Victorian event attracts over 30,000+ visitors each year during the first weekend in December.

Main Street becomes an early Victorian marketplace featuring food and drink, gift items, and fun entertainment to rekindle the old-fashioned Christmas spirit. Attendees enjoy quartets, choirs, street performances, characters, and more.

Christmas on Main Street Celebration

They hold the Christmas on Main Street event the second weekend of December. The Christmas on Main Street celebration highlights “The Town that Saved Christmas” and the Shiny Brite ornaments. Over 30 displays of the historic ornaments made locally in the early 1940s are on display at various locations in Wellsboro.

Horse-drawn wagon rides, live reindeer, and a live nativity scene are available.

Where to Stay When You Visit

To experience Wellsboro’s historic nostalgia, I recommend staying at the Penn Wells Hotel, located on Main Street. It is near all the activities, and everything is within walking distance. They have a restaurant and a tavern on-site. The hotel is beautifully decorated during the holidays and is a showcase for the Shiny Brite ornaments with the flag, Shiny Brite ornaments decorating a tree, and a large wreath made of Shiny Brite ornaments of different sizes.

The Penn Wells Lodge is right down the street if you prefer modern accommodations including an indoor heated pool and hot tub.

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, with its rich history, picturesque scenery, small-town charm, and unique seasonal festivities, is an ideal destination for the holiday season. Visiting “The Town That Saved Christmas” during the Christmas season will create extraordinary holiday memories.