CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Recently, Wyatt Johnson Automotive Group hosted a “topping out” ceremony to celebrate the construction of their new Kia dealership at the corner of Trenton Road and 101st Parkway in Clarksville. After the story and photos appeared on Clarksvillenow.com, some readers asked the question as to why a small evergreen tree was placed on the beam that was raised to the top of the building. That was the bar that was signed by those who attended the ceremony. Sidney Johnson, Dealer Principal for Wyatt Johnson shared some of his insight into the tradition of the tree with Clarksvillenow.com. Johnson said the tradition of a tree placed on a structure being built goes back hundreds and hundreds of years to Scandinavia. “The common practice is to put a tree on the top. It originated to appease the tree dwelling spirits. Of course that was years ago, today it’s a symbol of good luck. Being a common practice in larger construction companies, it’s a milestone, a celebration point for the construction crew,” said Johnson. Johnson added it’s really a celebration of the construction crew’s achievements and what they have done, since that is the highest bar and a stage of completion to be recognized. He also said for Wyatt Johnson it was a way to acknowledge the contractor on the project, T.W. Frierson. When asked about why a cedar tree was used, Johnson said just about everywhere in the world it is most common today to use some type of evergreen tree. His thoughts were that an evergreen tree is going to stay greener, longer, than anything else up on the beam. Wyatt Johnson Kia can currently be found at 511 Riverside Drive in Clarksville. The new location, 2275 Trenton Road, where of course you’ll find the tree, is expected to be open in mid-2017.