For Signal Mountain residents, the arrival of the holiday season is signaled by the arrival of the Christmas Train at the top of the mountain, where Taft Highway meets James Boulevard. Knowing the attachment residents have to the local landmark, the Walden’s Ridge Guild chose to feature the train this year on its annual holiday ornament.
“It’s been very popular,” Walden’s Ridge Guild ornament chairwoman Karen Stone said of this year’s ornament. “We like to use all kinds of places on top of Walden’s Ridge that will appeal to everyone.”
Every year since 2010, the guild has released a holiday ornament featuring a different mountain landmark, with past subjects including the W Road, McCoy Farm and Gardens, the Little Brown Church, Signal Mountain Grammar School, Bachman Elementary, and the Alexian Inn.
The Christmas Train has been a longstanding mountain tradition started by the late Stan Crewe, who continued to add new pieces each year. Since his passing, the Signal Mountain Lions Club has been maintaining, refurbishing and putting out the train every Christmas.
The ornaments cost $15 apiece, and can be purchased at Walden Town Hall, 1836 Taft Highway, or by contacting Stone. At press time, the Christmas Train ornaments were nearly sold out, and all past ornaments except the W Road and the Little Brown Church were still available.
“They’ve all been extremely popular, so if you want a complete collection, you need to get them now,” Stone said, adding that all the previous years’ ornaments will probably be gone by next year. “It’s going to set the tone for these to really be collector’s items.”
Money raised through the ornament sale is used to support community organizations such as Waldens Ridge Emergency Services, Bachman Community Center, McCoy Farm and Gardens, and Signal Mountain Social Services.
The guild is open to all women on Walden’s Ridge, has no dues and meets the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at members’ homes.
To purchase an ornament or to learn more about the guild, call Stone at 886-4568 or 886-2721, or email her at karenstone@waldenhouse.com.