Benicia Historical Museum, in partnership with Genesis House, is hosting its tenth annual Christmas Tree Lot, selling three beautiful varieties of fresh, sustainably farmed Christmas trees.
The joint fundraiser generates essential funding to support both the museum and the Vallejo-based residential drug and alcohol treatment program. The museum’s share of the proceeds will be put toward exhibits and educational programs, including replenishing supplies for new hands-on activities for school tours, according to Elizabeth d’Huart, the museum’s Executive Director.
Quality trees, fairly priced
The Christmas trees are sustainably farmed by Noble Mountain in Oregon, a tree farm that has the SERF (Socially and Environmentally Responsible Farm) certification. The varieties offered for sale include Plantation Noble Fir (in sizes from 2 to 10 feet high), Douglas Fir (from 5 to 10 feet), and Nordmann Fir (from 5 to 11 feet).
“All are high-quality trees cultivated to be a certain shape and proportion to the height,” d’Huart said. She added that the trees are known to last up to a month, and the prices are kept on the low end.
Staff from Genesis House are onsite to help customers select and load the trees onto their cars, and there’s even an option to have the trees delivered for $10. Also for sale are Christmas tree stands and various holiday themed items, and all who purchase a tree receive a free museum pass.
Fun for the kids
Children, in addition to helping pick out their trees, are encouraged to stop by the museum’s own Christmas tree, decorated with dozens of camel ornaments. There they can also pay a visit to Cally, the museum’s carousel camel, and leave a letter for Santa Claus. Legend has it that Cally comes to life at midnight, and flies to the North Pole to deliver the letters to Santa.
The Christmas Tree Lot is held in the Camel Barns parking lot, and is open every day from 10 to 7 (and sometimes later when there’s a crowd). Opening the day after Thanksgiving, it runs through December 23, as long as there are trees to sell. This year the museum is getting two shipments of trees, with the second arriving about a week and a half after the first. All forms of payment are accepted, cash, checks, and credit or debit card.
About the location
Benicia Historical Museum, with its mission to share the story of Benicia’s place in the history of California, is a popular destination for heritage tourists as well as students from area schools. The museum showcases such exhibits as “Early California Exploration, Colonization, and Immigration,” “Westward Ho! – Manifest Destiny & the California Trail,” and a new exhibit about Robert Semple unveiled last month, “The Birth of Benicia.” In addition to its exhibits, the museum hosts concerts and other events.
Benicia Historical Museum at the Camel Barns is located at 2060 Camel Road, in the Historic Arsenal District. More information, including a calendar of events, is available online at www.beniciahistoricalmuseum.org. Contact the museum by calling 707.745.5435 or emailing info@beniciahistoricalmuseum.org
