Why a Christmas Tree? a Look at the Origins of “Topping-Out”
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Why a Christmas Tree? A look at the origins of “topping-out” by Scott L. Melnick hether the custom began occupants. For some, the flag signals hardly a structure goes up in in Scandinavia or with a structure built with federal funds, Germany without an evergreen to sig- Native Americans, top- but for others it suggest patriotism or nal the birth of a new building. The ping out parties are today the American dream. Swiss, also, lay claim to the custom of an important custom in the steel con- a fir tree to signal Topping Out. “We do know that as early as 621 struction industry. B.C. the Romans celebrated the com- “As iron and steel replaced timber How did the topping out ceremony pletion of the Pons Sublicus over the as primary building materials, iron- originate? More than a dozen readers Tiber River by throwing human workers naturally would carry on the wrote responses to that question in beings into the water as sacrifices to custom of Topping Out. Strangely Modern Steel Construction’s August the gods. In ancient China, the ridge- enough, none of the early photoen- 1995 editorial. pole of a new structure was smeared gravings of ironworkers show the with chicken blood, as substitute for evergreen in Topping Out cere- One of the most detailed responses human blood, in hopes of fooling the monies. Perhaps, due to the exceed- came from James A. Newman, fabri- gods. It was widely believed that evil ingly high fatality rates, such a sym- cation division vice president with spirits may have occupied the struc- bol would not be appropriate. AISC-member Art Iron, Inc., who ture, and that is why, through the sent an article that appeared in The “When the last strands of cable Middle Ages, the local priest or rabbi Ironworker (December 1984) and an were laid for the Brooklyn Bridge a had a special blessing for new homes, excerpt from which follows: hundred years ago, the wheel operat- ships, churches and public buildings. ed by the ironworkers was decorated “No one seems to know exactly “By 700 A.D. in Scandinavia, the with American flags. By 1920, iron- when or how it started, but the tradi- custom of hoisting an evergreen tree workers were again draping their tion of ‘Topping Out’ has become a atop the ridgepole was a popular way work with American flags, this time cherished custom of Ironworkers of signaling the start of a completion while driving the first rivet on the whenever the skeleton of a bridge or party. The roots of this custom may Bank of Italy in San Francisco. By the building is completed. Topping Out is also be mixed in with fertility sym- end of the decade, the tradition of a signal that the uppermost steel bols. Saplings, eggs, flowers and flags in Topping Out was fully estab- member is going into place, that the sheaves of corn are long-standing lished. structure has reached its height. As customs in European home building, that final beam is hoisted, an ever- “Why an American flag? Probably presumably as a wish to the newly- green tree or a flag or both are because the so-called “American weds for a productive and long life attached to it as it ascends. Plan” launched in 1919 did not together. While the Teutonic tribes include unions. In fact, the single “The nice thing about Topping may have tried to appease the tree largest potential employer of iron- Out is that no two ceremonies are spirits for killing trees and using up workers, Elbert Gary, chairman of exactly alike. For some, the evergreen that lumber, the Germans in the U.S. Steel, contended: ‘The existence symbolizes that the job went up with- Black Forest seem to have invented and conduct of labor unions, in this out a loss of life, while for others it’s the Christmas tree custom to cele- country at least, are inimical to the a good luck charm for the future brate the nativity of Jesus Christ, and Modern Steel Construction / December 2000 best interests of the employees, the Steel Co. provided information from god] horse and as a charm against employers and the general public.’ his company records that he says lighting. In more recent times, gar- The American Plan–promising the originally came from Bethlehem lands of flowers or sheaves of corn destruction of unions, starvation Steel. In addition to talking about were duplicated in wood, stone or wages, deadly hours, hopeless safety early Chinese and Roman customs, terra-cotta on Gothic buildings. Such conditions and the dreaded ‘yellow- his data adds: “Bridges posed special agrarian decoration is perhaps a sur- dog contract’ swearing never to join a problems and goaded the fears and vival of the ancient custom.” union–suggested that unions were superstitions of the ancients. Xerxes, Many others wrote in with similar somehow un-American during the the famed Persian military leader, answers. Curt Zeigler of Stewart- post-war Red Scare. Thus, the blamed recalcitrant river gods for the Amos Steel, Inc. and Ron Montes of American flag became a natural sym- collapse of a pontoon bridge over the Bay Drafting Service, both cited Why bol to protest the American Plan and Hellespont. To punish and shackle Do Clocks Run Clockwise? And Other to demonstrate the ironworker’s loy- these gods, the water was given 300 Imponderables, a wonderful book by alty to flag and country. lashes and a pair of manacles was David Feldman, which contains thrown into the river.” “The two traditions of flag and essentially the same explanations pre- evergreen converged only a couple of Concerning the Scandinavian sented in The Ironworker. Three decades ago, perhaps to balance out roots of the topping out ceremony, readers, Adam S. Bangs, P.E., of Spars the final beam.” Junior Steel’s information included Engineering in in Houston, Erol J. that “In later times in these same Aydar, P.E., of Hanover Engineers in Going back another decade, The Scandinavian countries, and also in Mechanicsville, VA, and Eric Ironworker reported the following in the Black Forest, it was customary to Bjorklund of Freese-Nichols in Fort December 1974 issue: fasten a sheaf of corn to the gable. Worth, TX, referenced Jack C. “The symbol is rooted in an old The corn was believed to serve as McCormac’s “Structural Steel Scandinavian custom. The Norsemen food for Woden’s [the chief Norse Design”, which states: venerated the evergreens–cedars, spruces and pines. The trees were plentiful throughout the frozen reaches of northern Europe and thus provided building materials and fire- wood for the inhabitants of those wintry regions. In addition, the ever- “The ancient European tradi- greens retained their color through- tion of tieing a fir tree to the out the years and provided welcome top of a newly completed relief from the dull hues cast by snow roof lives on among and ice. American steelworkers. “Those hardy Vikings challenged Either a small tree or a flag is the seas of Europe and the New ties to the completed frame World in long ships of seasoned when it reaches its top. At spruce, with tall masts carved from the Empire State, the first towering pines and steering oars of topping out ceremony was cedar. Returning from a particularly photographed when the successful raid on hapless southern main building frame was neighbors, Viking chieftains often completed at the 86th floor.” constructed huge homes-called mead Photo and caption from Building the halls. Upon completion, these chief- Empire State, edited by Carol Willis, tains hoisted an evergreen tree to the courtesy of The Skyscraper Museum, New York City, www.sky- ridge-pole in celebration. So, when scraper.org. the topping out beam rises aloft with its customary symbols, the flag and the tree, it offers a link with history.” Persian Origins on Bridges Scott A. Bustrum, field operations manager with AISC-member Junior Modern Steel Construction / December 2000 “The Christmas tree is an old appeared when the first stone build- Gordon Wright, senior editor at North European custom used to ward ing of Egypt, the Step Pyramid of Building Design & Construction mag- off evil spirits. It is also used today to King Zoer at Sakkara, was completed. azine, sent along a copy of an article show that the steel frame was erected The slaves placed a live plant on the from Morse/Diesel’s newsletter, with no lost time accidents to person- top of the Pyramid for those slaves which printed the history of topping nel.” who had died during the construction out as presented by Scioto Erectors so they too might have an eternal life. Inc. of Columbus, OH: Thomas C. Schaeffer, P.E., of Structural Design Group in Nashville “It later appeared in the early “Scandinavian mythology suggests quoted from Reader’s Digest, which, Renaissance Era, during the period of that man originated from a tree and in turn, was quoting from the book the Gothic Cathedrals. An evergreen that the soul of man returned to the Ever Wonder Why? tree was placed on the highest point trees after death, giving each tree a to signify the completion of the build- spirit of its own. Man began con- “In ancient times, people would ing. A large festival, lasting sometimes structing his shelter with wood. attach plants thought to be inhabited for weeks, was held in the town for Before cutting a tree, he would for- by good spirits to the top of their new this honor. From the Italian mally address the forest, reminding it structures. Builders still observe this Renaissance, it was carried through of the consideration he had always superstition in a custom called top- the countries of France England, and shown toward the trees and asking ping out of the new building.” Spain, as they, too fell into the the forest to grant use of a tree for Kim Stanfill-McMillan, P.E., with Renaissance Era.” construction of his home.