When did The Peace Candle first start?
Peace Candle
The Peace Candle was first erected in 1951, and has been put up almost every year since then.[3] Due to damage or disrepair, the Peace Candle has been replaced with new candle structures twice since the original construction. The first candle lasted until 1968, the second candle from 1969 to 1989, and the current candle was built in 1990 and is expected to last until around 2014.[4][5] The structure is dedicated to the Easton area men and women who have served or are serving in the United States armed forces.[6]
Peace Candle
The original plywood candle was replaced with a stronger candle made of fiberglass and galvanized steel,[39][40][41] the covering of which was stretched on steel and wood frames. It was designed by the Allentown-based firm Rileigh's Inc. and constructed at a cost of about $12,500. The flame was built out of fiberglass strips with lights that changed color in sequence, to create a more realistic burning flame than the original candle.[39] The new structure was 90-foot (27m), compared to the original 80-foot (24m). Each side of the new candle was about 8.5-foot (2.6m) wide on each side. Due to the increase in size, it was no longer necessary to place the flame structure over the bugler statue on the top of the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument. Four new smaller candles were built and stood 20-foot (6.1m) tall and were about 3-foot (0.91m) wide on each side.[39][40][41] Special lighting equipment was added to give the Peace Candle a natural effect that would make it realistically flicker throughout the night. At the base of the candles, 75 10-foot (3.0m) tall evergreen trees with gold ornaments were placed, strung with more than 2,000 Christmas tree lights.[40]