The Centennial Candle was part of one of the largest Centennial celebrations in Oregon 1959, to celebrate the state of Oregon’s 100th Birthday.
The candle was originally to be created in nearby Portland, where school children had taken the task of collecting wax from all around the state. However, the organizers in Portland turned to other projects and the candle project fell to the side. Eventually, all the wax was brought to Damascus where it was dumped in George Livingston's front yard. The Livingtons and another family in Damascus with the last name "Marines", took charge of the stalled project and melted the wax, then poured it into steel barrels that had been stacked end to end and welded together, to form a huge candle. When completed, the finished candle was an impressive 21 and 1/2 feet tall and 35 inches across. The Livington and Marines then had them impressive task of moving the four-ton candle to Main Street in Damascus, where it joined the State's Centennial celebrations, by burning for 100 days (a day for each year of Statehood. Today, the concrete-and-steel replica that was built in 1962, can be viewed by those who drive thru Damascus.
