In the 1940s Frank Huber created and displayed a life-size crèche on his front lawn, where it was a popular seasonal attraction. In 1959, a coalition of partners acquired the display to create “Christmas Island,” a twinkling raft afloat in the middle of Capitol Lake. Sponsors erected the display annually until the early 1970s, when it was moved to the Sears parking lot, then to the Metro Church on Puget Street. When the congregation moved to Maytown, the display went along with it, where it can still be seen during the holiday season.
John Bailey photograph, late 1960s, State Library Photograph Collection
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2015