PEORIA, Ill. – The Peoria Riverfront Museum’s 75-foot-tall Christmas tree has an interesting backstory.
The tree came from Peoria residents Dan and Kathy Becker’s backyard. It’s the tallest tree yet to be placed on the museum grounds for the holidays.
Kathy Becker says it was quite a process to get the tree downtown, with workers spending quite a bit of time tying the tree down low enough for it to pass under power lines along the way.
“The first line they encountered, it wouldn’t go under. So, there was a gentleman that rode inside that tree all the way downtown…down from Alta Road, down Knoxville, all the way down to the Riverfront Museum,” Becker says.
The 75-foot-tall tree was placed into the museum’s permanent tree stand by another giant crane.
Kathy Becker says they followed the tree’s journey from start to finish. And, they’ll take part in a ceremony on Tuesday, December 2nd at the museum.
“We will be there for a private reception first in the museum, and then festivities start around 6:00 on the lawn. There’ll be free hot drinks. And, at 6:30 it will be the official lighting,” Becker says.
The 75-foot-tall tree will be decorated with 44,000 LED lights for the holidays, providing the backdrop for the museum’s Christmas in the Village December 5th and 6th.
To learn more from the Peoria Riverfront Museum, click HERE.
Peoria residents Dan and Kathy Becker at the Peoria Riverfront Museum the night the 75-foot tree they donated to the museum was delivered. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Becker)
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