The Christmas tree on top?

[MidtownCoog]

What's the symbolism behind putting what looks like a Christmas tree on top of a building after they frame it?

[UrbaNerd]

I've seen that, too! In Midtown last year, I remember seeing a small tree on top of the new wing of the Houston tech. center.

[dbigtex56]

According to an article by John V. Robinson:

The custom of decorating the uppermost point of the structure with an evergreen tree is a tradition that predates the structural-steel industry in America by hundreds of years and has old Northern European roots. Although the topping out tree has ancient roots there is no consensus among modern ironworkers as to what exactly the tree symbolizes, or when and how it came to be used by the ironworkers. According to The Ironworker, the union's official publication, "for some the evergreen tree symbolizes that the job went up without a loss of life, while for others it's a good luck charm for the future occupants"(1984:11). Other accounts attribute the tree as signifying simply that "we [ironworkers] did it" (Kodish, 1989:2).

(Western Folklore, Fall 2001 Robinson, John V.)

Link to full article

[sevfiv]

it's the topping out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topping_out

downtown cathedral"

[HoustonMidtown]

I noticed the tree at the top of the new building being built at the corner of Montrose and Richmond (behind the gas station) last weekend.....

[CDeb]

What I've heard from structural engineers is that construction crews do this once the uppermost structural members are added to the building.

[PapillionWyngs]

It is the topping out, as you said. It will get no higher than the tree.

[Montrose1100]

In photos on the bob bailey collection (or something like that) there was an evergeen when the Wells Fargo (then Allied Bank Tower) Plaza was topped off.

[MidtownCoog]

cool. I kinda knew it was the topping out

my big question is the voodoo behind it.

[Montrose1100]

The custom of decorating the uppermost point of the structure with an evergreen tree is a tradition that predates the structural-steel industry in America by hundreds of years and has old Northern European roots. Although the topping out tree has ancient roots there is no consensus among modern ironworkers as to what exactly the tree symbolizes, or when and how it came to be used by the ironworkers.

Vodoo of the Evergreen

Paragraphs 4,5,& 6 might help.

[sevfiv]

pure superstition

here's a picture (really horrible resolution) of the one at montrose and richmond:

[mls1202]

pure superstition

here's a picture (really horrible resolution) of the one at montrose and richmond:

I must have missed the information about this building. Can anyone tell me what is going up here or direct me to a thread where this is discussed?

Thanks.

[ENGcons]

It is merely a traditional thing that signifies the topping out of a building. Which simply means that is the top of the building. On major projects it is accompanied by a party of some sort for the crew, and others involved. It is a major milestone in the Construction of a project.

[MidtownCoog]

thanks for all the replies

here's hoping to many more as we move into 2007

[sevfiv]

thought this was interesting...

bob bailey photos from the topping out of the allied bank tower (wells fargo)

http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/image_lg....iable=e_bb_2874

http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/image_lg....iable=e_bb_2881

http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/image_lg....iable=e_bb_2889

[Pumapayam]

thought this was interesting...

bob bailey photos from the topping out of the allied bank tower (wells fargo)

Sevfiv, you are a little research aficionado, nice job with the pictures. I am surprised one of those has not shown up in a large frame to be sold at IKEA.

It would be a nice center piece that would make for interesting ice-breakers at parties.

[H-Town Man]

thought this was interesting...

bob bailey photos from the topping out of the allied bank tower (wells fargo)

Those are great photos. Good to know that they are safe in Austin.

[sevfiv]

Those are great photos. Good to know that they are safe in Austin.

yeah, it was disappointing that there was nowhere in houston that had the right (and enough) resources to step up to the plate and care for them.

seems a little hard to believe, but money is apparently better spent elsewhere

[H-Town Man]

Something to put on the checklist for becoming a great city: stop being provincial as far as research matters go. Chicago's libraries contain unique research material pertaining to the entire globe. Houston can't even keep track of itself.