Spencerport's first Christmas tree makes book debut

This oddly shaped evergreen from a Maplewood Avenue, Spencerport yard became a village Christmas tree in 1976 and is now the subject of a book. The story is written by the late Roberta Atkinson.

An illustration from the book about Spencerport's Christmas tree when villagers gathered around to watch and sang carols as it was illuminated for the first time.

Merrillan Thomas is the book's illustrator.

Spencerport's first Christmas tree makes book debut

It was a lopsided, bent-over, pipe-clogging, hat-snatching tree when it lived at 175 Maplewood Avenue, and before it was chopped down to grace the Village of Spencerport square as its first village Christmas tree. Now it is the subject of a recently published book, The Lopsided Bent-over Pipe-clogging Hat-snatching Tree, and was penned by the late Roberta S. Atkinson, in whose yard the tree grew, and was illustrated by Merrillan Thomas, a former Spencerport resident.

"The idea for the book came to Roberta (better known as Bobbe) as the tree was being cut down," Thomas said. "People kept saying the tree had to go and eventually it did."

Thomas said someone from the village came to Bobbe's house and asked if she still wanted the tree removed. She did.

"It was cut down in 1976 and that was the first time in a long time that the village had a Christmas tree. It started a trend that's continued," Thomas said. "I know Bobbe was sorry to see the tree go."

Atkinson was a freelance writer who wrote under the name PJ Fitchin. She died in January 2004. Her daughter, Mollie Atkinson, who lives in Buffalo, said her mother told her stories of how she published a neighborhood newsletter when she was only five. "She and my godmother put together a newsletter using carbon paper and they delivered them to the neighbors," she said.

Mollie said she has definite memories of the tree. "I was about 10 when the events in the book took place," Mollie said. "We used to spend entire afternoons playing under the tree. Where the book mentions us playing with cars under the tree, I remember that."

Thomas said her illustrations came after the text of the book was written and she and Mollie worked together to get it published after Bobbe's death.

"As an artist I understand the satisfaction of finishing a creative project," Mollie said. "I knew my mother always wanted to publish this book and I'm so happy to be able to finish it on her behalf."

Mollie said she read the drafts of the story as her mother was writing it and watched it evolve. "Because it's a true story involving my family, it was interesting seeing it evolve and seeing Merrillan's drawings being added to it," she said.

Thomas said working on the book was her first venture into illustrating. Her husband, Woody Thomas, said his wife always has a sketchbook in her hands. "I have done some sketching of travelogues and such but never a whole book before," she said.

The Thomas's were both active in Spencerport activities and groups before moving to Naples, New York.

Thomas said that just before Bobbe died, the two had tried to get the book published but were unsuccessful.

"Mollie and I just decided at that point to publish it ourselves," she said. Thomas explained that the three children in the book are Bobbe's own.

"Two of the three children are now deceased so publishing the book and having it dedicated to their memory was a dream of Bobbe's," she said.

The book, which costs $10.99, is available at the Unique Shop in Spencerport and at Lift Bridge Books in Brockport. It can also be purchased from Thomas. She can be reached at lopsidetree@aol.com or 374-8202.