After more than 60 years as one of Illinois' premier tree farms, Sinnissippi Forest has announced that 2009 will be its final season selling Christmas trees at its Oregon facility.
"Several factors have contributed to this decision," said Sinnissippi's owner, Warren Miller. "Our tree sales have been declining over the last few years, and we don't anticipate that trend to change. But the most important reason for us is that Dave Stenger, who has been the driving force behind our Christmas tree operation, has decided it's time to retire."
Growing Christmas trees is primarily a family enterprise," said Miller. "Neither Dave nor I have any family members interested in carrying on the operation, and our business model relies almost exclusively on Dave and a crew of part-time workers to get the job done. Without Dave's invaluable experience and his incredible capacity for planning, managing and leading at Sinnissippi, it wouldn't be the same without him."
Stenger, who started his career at the Oregon, Illinois tree farm in 1973, has led Sinnissippi since Howard Fox retired in 1976.
He has been active in the Christmas tree industry for many years, serving as a director and officer of the Illinois Christmas Tree Growers Association before joining the board of directors of the National Christmas Tree Association. He was president of the national organization from 1997 to 1999.
"We will be operating as we always have for the 2009 Christmas season," Stenger added. "We intend to make this a real celebration of the 60-plus years we've been a Christmas tradition for our loyal friends and customers. All three choose-and-cut fields will be open as usual, and so will our pre-cut tree yard and holiday building on South Lowden Road.
"We'll also have horse-drawn wagon rides and all the other special features our customers have come to expect. In recognition of this being our last year, several special attractions will be announced later in the year," Stenger said.
Sinnissippi's Christmas tree operations were originally part of a comprehensive forest management and research enterprise begun more than 100 years ago by former Illinois governor Frank Lowden.
Pine trees planted in the early 1940s required thinning, and selling the trees as Christmas trees began as an experiment in 1948. That year then forester Howard Fox sold almost 500 Christmas trees to Ogle County residents.
The business grew steadily and soon included a wholesale operation that sold trees throughout Northern Illinois as well as to Iowa and – one year – to western Canada. Over the years Sinnissippi has sold more than a third of a million Christmas trees.
Until 1984 trees were sold in the Sinnissippi sawmill parking lot near the present site. That year the first choose-and-cut field was opened; two years later the familiar redand- white Holiday Building was built on Lowden Road to house the sale of wreaths, greens, roping, tree stands and a gift shop.
Horse-drawn wagon rides through the tree fields have been popular feature since 1990; visits from Santa Claus and refreshments also
contribute to the festive atmosphere.
Because of customer demand for more diverse choose-and-cut experiences, over the years Sinnissippi has operated a total of four distinct fields for customers to cut in, from immediately behind the Holiday Building to deep in the heart of Lowden-Miller State Forest.
Ownership of Sinnissippi Forest passed from Governor Lowden to his eldest daughter and her husband, Dr. & Mrs. C. Phillip Miller, and then to their sons, Phillip and Warren.
Most of the 2,300-acre hardwood and pine forest was sold to the State of Illinois in the early 1990s, to become Lowden-Miller State Forest. Warren Miller and his late wife, Nancy, were actively involved in Sinnissippi's forest management, sawmill, logging and Christmas tree operations for many years before moving to Southern California.
"Deciding to close our Christmas tree operation has obviously been a very difficult decision," said Miller. "We've been fortunate to be able to carry on my grandparents' and parents' legacy, but all good things do end, and Dave and I have reluctantly decided that this is the time. We're going to go out of our way to make this an especially memorable Christmas season, because we know that the Sinnissippi Forest experience has been an important part of the holiday tradition for many of our customers and friends."