
Once upon a time
..
(1966) There was the Enchanted Colonial Christmas Village which
occupied the second floor of the now defunct "Lit
Bros Department Store" in Center City Philadelihia.
15 mid-sized
scenic buildings, 100 mechanized colonial(ish) figures, carolers,
bunnies, christmas-trees, snowmen (well ..evil snowmen) and at
one time gnomes gnomes gnomes.
Lots of movement, lots of german creativity, lots of levers and
motors, and lots of stUff breaking, burning-out, wearing down,
getting lost, sold, melted and renovated over the last 40 years
that it`s now whittled down to 9 buildings and about 50 figures.
Viewed by Millions .. children
would watch with amazement
(ooor fear from the evil snoWmen }
until the 70`s when Lit Bros closed and the Village began it`s journey of ups
and downs .. ..and doOowns ... (and ups)
(For a complete Outline of what the
Village has been through click here)
So nowadays the news-story off and on has been ..
"what`s going to happen to Philadelphia`s Historical
Enchanted Colonial Village?"
...It`s been bounced from institution to institution, stored
upside down, stomped-on, baked, frozen, restored partially,
viewed "occasionally" only to be stored in "not
ideal conditions" again.
Who will save the village???
Please Touch Museum that`s who ..
Resurrecting the Enchanted
Colonial Village (Philadelphia, PA, 2008)
Written by: Chris Hillman
© c40179@aol.com