A Look Back On How It All Started

The tradition dates to the early 1960s, when Bozeman firefighters first began helping decorate downtown for Christmas.

By around 1969, several local business leaders purchased what was called an “Intersection Cascade” from Dijulio Displays in Washington State. This initial decoration was a green cascade installed at Willson Avenue and Main Street, with Henderson Construction putting up the first supporting cables.

Over time, more cascades were added one by one: red came next, then gold, and later a white one with blue bulbs.

The structure itself is quite impressive: a 24-foot-tall central pole rising from a circular steel base, with about a dozen chains radiating upward that give it the familiar cone shape. It’s wrapped in steel-cable garland with light sockets, originally made for full-size bulbs (later swapped for more efficient smaller ones), and topped with a star.

Initially, they were secured with simple materials, hog rings and twist ties held the garland in place, and the lights were switched on and off manually. By around 2001, automated timers replaced the old system.

More On The History of the Spiders

Perils, Passion, and Preservation

These decorations haven’t always been easy to maintain. In 2002–2004, a proposal surfaced to scrap the spiders entirely and replace them with twinkle lights on buildings, but the community resisted. That fight ultimately led to a full refurbishment: new garland, updated electrical, re-anchoring of cables, and structural improvements funded in part by the Downtown Bozeman Business Improvement District (BID).

In 2011, Montana Crane replaced many of the main intersection cables. Between 2015 and 2017, the Downtown Urban Renewal District invested tens of thousands of dollars to repair or replace anchor points.

In 2018, the BID replaced all the bulbs with LEDs to improve energy efficiency and longevity.

One dramatic moment in recent history came at the 2021 Christmas Stroll: high winds snapped one of the stabilizing cables on the green spider, causing the 24-foot support pole to snap and fall! The firefighters and city crews sprang into action; the decoration was eventually removed, repaired, and rebuilt for the 2022 season.

Fun Facts & Traditions

• The lights are ceremonially turned on during the annual Christmas Stroll, when Santa “magically” lights them with a firework after singing a holiday song.

• There’s always at least one firefighter assigned to oversee the entire process, from repair to installation. Over the decades, many individuals have taken on this role, including Bruce Thompson, Geoff Hoell, Casey Holling, Travis Barton, and currently Tim O’Tool.

• In the “old days,” replacing a single burned-out bulb meant bringing out the ladder truck.

• Once, on New Year’s Eve in bitter sub-zero wind, a garland blew over, arced on a guy wire, and bent the pole. The firefighters scooped it up, hauled it back to the station, and Western Plumbing re-threaded the section so it could be reused.

The Final Refurbishment

After decades of service, 2025 marks a milestone... the final spider refurbishment and replacement is underway! The last of the original set, the white spider, located at the Willson x Main intersection, is being fully replaced. This will complete their multiyear effort to renew all four spiders.

Once this project is finished, the goal is to have the refurbished holiday spiders shining for another 50 years or more!

A Well-Deserved Honor

The dedication to preserving and celebrating these unique decorations has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, the Downtown Bozeman Business Improvement District along with the Bozeman Fire Department were honored by the Historic Preservation Advisory Board in the "Preservation Craft" category.

This accolade underscores how these “spiders” are not just festive decor, but a craft and cultural heritage cherished by the community!