95th Christmas Tree Lane (Van Ness Boulevard, Fresno, CA)

Something road related but more on the December side of things. This previous Saturday night I went to the 95th Christmas Tree Lane which is held on the northern segment of Van Ness Boulevard in the City of Fresno.

Christmas Tree Lane is setup every year on Van Ness Boulevard between Shields Avenue two miles north to Shaw Avenue. Every year Van Ness Boulevard is adorned with Christmas lights above the roadway and there seems to be an extra emphasis to participate from the homeowners. Van Ness is converted into a one-way street for the duration of when Christmas Tree Lane is open and has at least two walk-only nights a year. Christmas Tree Lane started in 1920 when one tree was lit after a child passed away and only has been interrupted by WWII in 1941 in addition to the 1973 oil crisis. On the night of the 2nd Christmas Tree Lane was open to pedestrian traffic.

North Van Ness would have been in an extremely remote northern part of Fresno when the Christmas Tree Lane tradition began in the 1920s as evidenced by it's location on the 1938 Thomas Bros map of the city.

1938 Thomas Bros Map of Fresno

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