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Worldwide Narrow Gauges => Archives (Worldwide 2ft) => Topic started by: Ed Lecuyer on June 22, 2009, 08:31:38 PM

Title: Edaville Christmas festival of lights - late 1940s
Post by: Ed Lecuyer on June 22, 2009, 08:31:38 PM
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Edaville Christmas festival of lights - late 1940s has been converted from the pre-July 2008 WW&F Discussion Forum.
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Bill Reidy wrote:
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I stumbled across the following from the archives of the Barnstable Patriot newspaper, from mid-December 1949:

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More than 12,000 Christmas bulbs were illuminated Dec. 8 at the Edaville Railroad in South Carver, when the annual Christmas display of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis D. Atwood, which attracted 51,000 visitors last year, was turned on at 5 p.m.

I didn't know that the festival of lights at Edaville was started shortly after Edaville was built.  For some reason I thought the tradition was started in mid to late '50s.

Bill

Mike Fox replied:
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Bill, I read someplace Christmas was one of his favorite things (after trains). I believe it also said he used to set up displays before he had trains. Am I incorrect? I'll have to dig the Edaville books out.
Mike

Bruce Wilson replied:
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Atwood's "the village at Peacedale" existed at his home at least as early as 1940. Due to traffic concerns, the Town of Carver asked that the display be scaled back and Mr. Atwood moved his Christmas village to the cranberry plantation at some point in time prior to the railroad construction.

A few years ago, I made some copies of the Atwood's 1940 and 1941 Christmas cards. If anyone is interested in having a copy, I still have a few left. I'll bring them up to the archives room at the museum or I could mail the copy to you.
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