The Osborne Lights
We have all seen the extravagant lighting displays erected by some home owners for Christmas. I guess every region has a house, a street or a neighborhood where the residents go overboard with their lights, inflatable Santas and giant snowmen. Nobody, however, has taken things quite as far as one family in Arkansas so if you think your neighbour’s illuminated reindeer and sleigh are a bit much consider the Osborne lights.
Little Rock
Jennings Osborne was a successful business man and resident of Little Rock, Arkansas. He owned a significant estate in the heart of the town and his young daughter Allison Brianne, known as Breezy, asked if he could decorate the house with a light display for the festive season. Osborne went along with the idea and strung some 1000 lights around the property in 1986. The project proceeded to grow each year and eventually Osborne purchased two adjacent properties to adorn with lights.
A Million Sparklers
By Christmas 1993 the extravagant display featured over 1 million lights and included a rotating carousel and an enormous Christmas tree decorated with 80,000 lights. The display was becoming quite a tourist attraction and the subject of television news leading to major traffic problems in the area. The lights, which were switched on for 35 days each festive season, were proving to be a great hit with everyone except the neighbours who were tired of becoming prisoners in their own homes. They filed a lawsuit but an indignant Osborne responded by adding a further 3 million lights to his display!
The Injunction
Ultimately the lights became subject to an injunction limiting the illumination to 15 days and just 3.5 hours each night. Osborne’s appealed against the injunction but his action failed and eventually the Supreme Court of Arkansas shut the display down completely. Little Rock became a much darker place in 1995!
Saving The Lights
All the attention surrounding the court case did prove to be the saviour of the lights. Jennings Osborne received several offers to host the display but after some initial misgivings opted to go with a proposal from Walt Disney World in Orlando. The lights were erected in a back-lot section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, an area which guests visited on the tram tour. The display was expanded to over 5 million lights and became an instant hit.
Evolution
In 2004 the Osborne Lights were relocated to the Streets of America portion of the park due to the demolition of the original site. Snow effects were added to the attraction which now featured 16 kilometres of rope lighting! In 2006 the lights began to dance as dimmer relay circuits enabled the lights to flash to a musical score and the display became the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. The display continues to evolve and in 2011 a major overhaul saw all the lights replaced with LED models and the dancing re-choreographed.
In the light of this story (pardon the pun) I feel that my own efforts and those of even my most extravagant near neighbours look rather underwhelming. Looking at my single string of lights and scattering of Christmas candle holders ready for their new candles I do believe I have underdone my display! This is probably just as well as I don’t think my electricity supply could cope with the 800,000 watts required to power the Osborne Lights and I certainly couldn’t afford the bill!
About Author
Sally Stacey is a keen writer and busness owner who divides her time betweeen writing and running her bridal shop.