• Christmastown USA in McAdenville began in 1954 when four Pharr Yarns employees created Christmas light displays. • The tradition grew after the company's owner encouraged them to decorate more trees the following year. • National attention came in 1980 after a visit from CBS journalist Charles Kuralt.

More than 70 years ago, four men who worked at Pharr Yarns decided to put up Christmas lights in McAdenville. That was the start of Christmastown USA, an annual attraction that draws people from across the state and boasts more than half a million lights.

Dick Roberts, 90, is the last surviving member of the original four. He said that people who describe the history of the lights are often wrong.

"They tried to say that it started with the Men's Club in 1956, but that's not correct.

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