‘Bruce The Spruce’ Holiday Character Returns To Green Bay Museum

Editor’s Note: This story might contain spoilers for children of a certain age.

“Bruce the Spruce” has returned from the North Pole for his annual visit to Green Bay’s Neville Public Museum. The former department store display brings back memories to some and is creating more for new generations this holiday season.

People who grew up shopping at Prange’s department stores in northeastern Wisconsin can tell others about Bruce the Spruce, the talking tree. But, let Dick Moe tell you.

“My name is Dick Moe and I’m a volunteer here at the Neville museum. And now with the Prange’s display, I’m Bruce the Spruce,” he said.

Moe has portrayed Bruce for seven years and knows his origin story well.

“He grew up as a little sapling in Holland and Santa (Claus) was one year in Holland and spied this little sapling and he heard Bruce moaning. He thought Bruce had some potential here and his elves taught Bruce to talk. And the thing that Bruce likes to do is talk to children,” he said.

Moe climbs into a large artificial Christmas tree where he greets and talks to museum visitors.

“I have a little screen I can see people out there but they can’t see me,” Moe said.

This is where Moe becomes one with the tree. Bruce the Spruce even greets guests with a wave.

“There we go, is the branch waving?” he said.

The tree’s ornaments are jingling and so this is how Bruce waves to his fans.

“Oh yes, I wave and say, ‘Hi, how are you?’” he said.

For 10 years, the Neville museum has recreated the Prange’s department store windows that used to enthrall shoppers in downtown Green Bay. The animatronic figures of snowmen and animals drew attention beginning in the 1940s.

But by 1972, Prange’s display manager took the show inside, according to Beth Lemke, the Neville’s director.

“George Hanrahan was actually the Bruce the Spruce creator. He had an idea where his son was named Bruce and his son was actually the first voice of Bruce. And Bruce, originally in Green Bay, was made up of leftover parts and pieces that they put together to form Bruce. And by then, it was so popular in Green Bay that other Prange’s stores in the area – Sheboygan — adopted Bruce the Spruces,” she said.

Bruce lived in second-floor children’s department. Children asked Bruce about the North Pole, where he lives with Santa.

Bruce was very real to local entertainer Frank Hermans.

“I knew he was alive, there was no doubt in my mind. I remember asking my mom, ‘How does he go to the bathroom?’” he said. “I was kind of an inquisitive kid so she’s like, ‘Well, it’s a tree, son. You know it rains.’ ‘Well, it doesn’t rain in here, mom. Why is this tree talking to me?’ I believed and that was a big thing. I believed.”

Bruce is in good company at the Neville this year. He’s part of an enchanted forest display, the Prange’s window characters and a recreation of an old soda fountain.

And perhaps best for the holidays, Moe said Bruce’s exes — Margret the Spruce and Amanda made other plans.

“She was a flaky little tree. That didn’t last too long,” he said.

Bruce and his helper Moe are in residence at Green Bay’s Neville Public Museum until Jan. 4.

“I always look forward to this time of year,” Moe said.

He said he and Bruce get a kick out of fascinating little children, and maybe bringing back some seasonal magic to their parents and grandparents.