Peace Candle of the World

This article is about the candle in Scappoose, Oregon. For the candle in Easton, Pennsylvania, see Peace Candle.
Peace Candle of the World

A cylindrical-shaped red tower-like structure resembling a candle sits inside a circular stone brick wall with plants and shrubs around it. A red flame-like structure sits atop the candle, and an oval-shaped logo with the word "Scappoose" in front of a drawing of a mountain rests in the center of the candle. A blue banner with the words "Peace Candle of the World" in white is draped near the bottom of the structure. In the background is a rural setting with houses and trucks below a sky with gray clouds.

The Peace Candle of the World in Scappoose, Oregon, in February 2008
Location Scappoose, Oregon
Coordinates 45°44′36″N 122°52′33″W / 45.74333°N 122.87583°W / 45.74333; -122.87583Coordinates: 45°44′36″N 122°52′33″W / 45.74333°N 122.87583°W / 45.74333; -122.87583
Established May 9, 1971

The Peace Candle of the World, also known as the Scappoose Peace Candle,[1] is an approximately 50-foot-tall (15 m) tower-like structure 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter[2][3] in Scappoose, Oregon, designed to resemble a candle. It was built in 1971 outside what was then the Brock Candles Inc. factory, which burned down in 1990. The land was formerly a dairy farm; factory owner Darrel Brock created the candle by covering a silo with 45,000 pounds (20 t) of red candle wax to advertise the factory.[3][4]

The candle was originally built with an actual wick. On May 9, 1971, the town's mayor and Oregon Governor Tom McCall lit the candle with a specially-made 60-foot-long match.[1][3][5] President Richard Nixon declined a request to light the candle.[5] Due to difficulties in keeping the candle lit during rainfall, the wick was replaced with a natural gas line up the center of the candle to create a real flame at the top. However, due to environmental concerns and high gas bills, the flame was eventually replaced with an electric neon light flame structure.[1][3]

The Peace Candle of the World was awarded the Guinness World Record for world's largest candle,[1][2] but the record was later given to the 127-foot (39 m) wax candle that was featured at the General Art and Industrial Exhibition of Stockholm in 1897.[3] The Scappoose Peace Candle sits on the east side of U.S. Route 30 and is visible from the highway.[6][7][8] Each season the candle was re-coated with different colors to match the time of year, with red for Christmas and multiple colors being used in the fall.[5] The wax around the candle was eventually replaced with more durable wax-like substances.[1]

The candle is meant to serve as a symbol for the desire for world peace.[1] During the Christmas season the Scappoose Peace Candle is strewn with strands of Christmas lights.[5] The Scappoose region around the Peace Candle of the World has become more and more developed in recent years, and local residents fear that the candle could be demolished for redevelopment.[3]

In June 2015 the Weather Channel website selected the Peace Candle of the World as the Oregon selection for its "Most Incredible Roadside Attraction in Every State" list.[4][9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Baskas, Harriet (2007). Oregon Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (1 ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing. p. 129. ISBN 0-7627-4236-4.
  2. 1 2 McWhirter, Norris; McWhirter, Alan Ross (1971). Guinness book of world records (10 ed.). New York City, New York: Sterling Publishing, Co. p. 237. ISBN 0-8069-0004-0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McEvoy, Colin (2009-12-20). "How Easton measures up: Peace Candle not the tallest, but plenty tall". The Express-Times. Easton, Pennsylvania. p. A1. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  4. 1 2 Perry, Douglas (June 30, 2015). "Oregon's 'most incredible roadside attraction' has been chosen: Scappoose's Peace Candle". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Scappoose, OR - Peace Candle of the World". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  6. ↑ Baskas, p. 128
  7. ↑ Palahniuk, Chuck (2008). Fugitives & refugees: a walk in Portland, Oregon. New York City, New York: Crown Publishing Group. p. 170. ISBN 1-4000-4783-8.
  8. ↑ Orion, Doreen (2008). Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband and a Bus with a Will of Its Own. New York City, New York: Broadway Books. p. 225. ISBN 0-7679-2853-9.
  9. ↑ Rosen, Miriam (July 8, 2015). "Most Incredible Roadside Attraction in Every State (PHOTOS)". The Weather Channel. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
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