DOWAGIAC — Families will soon be able to get their hands on yet another piece of Dowagiac history, one that they may use to adorn their Christmas trees this upcoming holiday season.

Members of the Young Professionals of Greater Dowagiac have recently unveiled the design of the club’s newest “Uniquely Dowagiac” Christmas tree ornament, which depicts the world’s first artificial fishing lure, developed by famed Dowagiac inventor and businessman James Heddon. People may pre-order the ornament now by stopping by Bakeman Barbers, at 101 S. Front St., or by visiting ypdowagiac.wixsite.com/uniquelydowagiac.

The ornaments, which are expected to officially go on sale next month, cost $25.

The Heddon lure-shaped decoration is the third design Young Professionals members have developed for the annual ornament, following last year’s depiction of one of the famous Round Oak stoves and the Dowagiac Chieftains mascot in 2015. The members decided to pay tribute to the Heddon Company following a poll they conducted on the club’s Facebook page last year, where the Dowagiac manufacturer’s lures came in second to the Round Oak Stove Company, said Young Professionals President Jeremy Truitt.

“The purpose of the ornaments is to celebrate Dowagiac and its history, the things about Dowagiac that make it unique,” Truitt said. “There is nothing more unique than the history of the Heddon Lure Company and its contributions to the history of fishing.”

After brainstorming several potential ideas, club members settled on a design paying homage to Heddon’s first ever lure, which the inventor devised in the late 1890s. The Heddon Company produced artificial lures and other fishing products in Dowagiac from 1902 until 1984.

“It was a little complicated to recreate a fishing lure inside the ornament,” Truitt said. “The other designs were a little easier to put together. This one was more complex, but we are excited with how it finally turned out.”

The ornaments will be once again handcrafted by employees with Hestia Creations, based out of Marblehead, Massachusetts. The company has produced all three of the Young Professionals’ ornaments thus far.

Pleased with the prototype the manufacturer recently delivered to the service organization, the Young Professionals have ordered a full run of the Christmas decorations for sale, Truitt said. The club hopes to have available for sale at the booth the club is setting up for the upcoming Under the Harvest Moon Festival on Oct. 14.

The money generated through sale of the ornaments will go toward to supporting the service organization’s various community events, including the Fourth of July Firework display at Russom Park, the club’s Daddy-Daughter Dance and its Mommy and Me event.

Truitt said he and the other members are hoping to sell 200 or more ornaments this year. Last year, the club ordered a little less than 200 decorations, which were nearly sold out by the end of the holiday season, the club president said.

“We are grateful for the community’s support,” he said. “We loved the response to the previous ornaments, and we are extremely happy we can continue this great tradition.”

The club has a limited supply of 2016 ornaments still in stock, which people may purchase online or at Bakeman Barbers. For more information about the ornaments, people may visit the Young Professionals Facebook page, facebook.com/YPDowagiac.