Arlington’s iconic Vandergriff poinsettia tree finds a new home this holiday season

The Vandergriff family’s poinsettia tree has a new home, but the magic and its historical significance connected to Christmas in Arlington remain just as strong as it did when occupying the residence at 1216 West Park Row.

The tree, which used to be on display in front of the late Mayor Tom Vandergriff’s house in Arlington, has a new home in the downtown library.

Vandergriff served as Arlington mayor from 1951-1977, as a U.S. representative from Texas’ 26th congressional district from 1983-1985, and as Tarrant County judge from 1991-2007.

Tourism became an Arlington staple under his leadership, highlighted by the arrival of Six Flags Over Texas in 1961. He also brought the Texas Rangers and General Motors to town, along with leading the charge to create Lake Arlington.

The Vandergriff family has a rich history of sharing elaborate Christmas displays with the community that dates back to when W.T. “Hooker” and Charles Vandergriff moved to Arlington in 1937 with their two young children, Tom and Ginger.

Hooker Vandergriff Chevrolet, at the southeast corner of Center and State Highway 180, was known for its Christmas displays inside and outside the facility. The family carried their worship and joy of the holidays to their personal residence on North Fielder, after which the children began their own Christmas displays as adults at their respective homes from the 1950s well into this century.

“If you know Arlington, you know how special the Vandergriff Christmas displays have been through the years,” Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams said. “I want to encourage everyone to visit the downtown library display to brighten their holiday season and I can’t thank the Vandergriff family enough for sharing this historic piece with the city and our residents.”

For years, the annual Christmas display by Tom and his wife Anna delighted passers-by as an annual fixture at the residence on West Park Row. Even after they moved out in 2007, their son Victor and daughter-in-law Kristin moved in, continuing the tradition until they also moved out in 2016.

With the help of youngest daughter Viveca Vandergriff and grandson Parker Vandergriff, the magic of the displays kept going for a couple more years there, and now it will do so at its new location.

The tree display is built from a metal frame covered with poinsettias.

“Much of the display will have to live on in the memories of those who saw them between 1968-2015, and especially during the period of the largest displays between 1986-2016,” Victor Vandergriff wrote in a letter describing his memories.

“Fortunately, the most unique, brightest and beloved piece of the display was preserved and remains — the poinsettia tree. Thanks mostly to the efforts of Kristin and her son Parker, the family refused to part with this tree. We are all grateful that their tenacity and interest in preserving this treasured display bore fruit with its gift to the City of Arlington in 2019.”

This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 7:30 AM.