Kennesaw
1880s
The first mention of Christmas celebrations in Kennesaw seems to be during 1888, one year after the city was incorporated. The Kennesaw section of the Dec. 20, 1888, Marietta Journal mentioned that a Christmas tree would be at the Baptist church. “Be sure and put a present for somebody,” it said. The article was signed, Santa Claus.
1890s
Through the Decades BY ANDREW J. BRAMLETT
Christmas long has been a popular holiday in Kennesaw, but unfortunately the details of celebrations have been lost throughout history. Thanks to newspaper accounts, we are able to get a glimpse at the holiday in years past.
Three years later, in 1891, members of Sunday schools in Kennesaw erected a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and the Ladies’ and Children’s Aid Society gave a Christmas dinner to raise money for school repairs. In 1899, a Christmas tree was placed at the Kennesaw Academy. The first Christmas wedding reported in newspapers also took place that year. The happy couple was Effie Brinkley of Kennesaw and a Mr. Goodwin.
1900s
In 1901, Justice of the Peace Benjamin Carrie officiated two weddings, Dec. 25 and Dec. 26. In addition to weddings, the holiday season was popular for family reunions. In 1904, Rob Bennett came home from Texas, and returned after giving the Marietta Journal “a Texas dollar to have the Journal sent to his western home.” On Dec. 14, 1905, the Kennesaw City Council voted to allow Christmas fireworks (“except guns and pistols”) from the night of Dec. 23 to noon Dec. 26, and from the morning of Dec. 27 to New Year’s Day. A similar ordinance was passed in 1907.
1910s
In 1911, the Kennesaw correspondent for the Marietta Journal, Lou Trippe, reported that “Mr. Alex Allen, a youth, accidently shot Mr. W.T. Silver through the lip with an air gun during Christmas.” Some have assumed the air gun was a Christmas gift. In 1916, Christmas programs were held at Frey’s School House in “East Kennesaw” and at Kennesaw High School downtown, where a debate was held over whether fireworks should be used during Christmas. 24
AROUND KENNESAW | December 2021
