Christmas Tree Lane along Highway 50 in Placerville has been a festive custom for nearly 50 years. First conceived in 1971 by Robert Conrad in an effort to boost awareness of local Christmas tree farms, the tradition has become a hallmark of the holiday season.

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Christmas Tree Lane is administered by the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce and local organizations and businesses sponsor a tree providing the decorations and festooning the tree. This year more than ever, the chamber felt the need to continue this tradition as, “the brightly decorated trees along Highway 50 give much-needed joy to our community and travelers. Now more than ever we need to keep that spirit alive.”

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The chamber held a lottery to choose the groups who would decorate a tree. Marshall Gold Discovery SHP was one of the lucky winners! Since the tree decorating fell on the same day as the park’s town decorating event, a call was placed for volunteers to take on the tree project. Eydie and Michael Duggin (pictured above) and their family jumped at the opportunity. Eydie got creative with the decorating theme of the gold rush and Coloma, creating gold pan ornaments and festive angels inscribed with the names of Coloma’s early inhabitants.

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On November 21 Eydie and Michael, along with their children and grandchildren, could be found in Placerville hanging lights and the one-of-a-king homemade ornaments on the Marshall Gold Discovery tree. Thank you Duggins for representing our park in this community event.

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If you haven’t already done so, take a trip along Highway 50 through downtown Placerville and enjoy the festive trees lining the highway. It is a truly magical sight in the evening when the trees are lit.