U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
The Tree on its way out of Bridger-Teton National Forest

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Tree Has Arrived!

Monday, November 29, 2010 - The Tree made it!

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was officially handed over to the Architect of the Capitol today. It was a long and joyous day for all of us on the team and many folks from throughout the state of Wyoming who shared in this journey with us.

The team left Hershey Park this morning at midnight and headed to the 4-H Headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. There, we removed the banner and prepped the trucks for the final leg of our journey.

Josh and Greg remove the banner from the truck.

Mary Ann, driver Jeff Underwood's daughter who joined us in Dahlonega, helps Officer Whitehair and Mary roll up the banner.

After we were done staging in Chevy Chase, we were escorted into Washington by the Capitol police. After being checked out by the police dogs, we began the process of taking the tarp off the tree and dismantling the box.



Team Tree removes the tarp and dismantles the truck early in the morning.
While it was 4:00 in the morning, we were all energized by the excitement of finally delivering the Tree. When we pulled up to the Capitol and saw Wyoming's Tree parked in front of it, our journey felt complete.

Wyoming's perfect Tree parked in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Team Tree poses for one last photo with the Tree before turning it over to the Capitol.

We posed for a few last photos before we officially turned the Tree over to the Architect of the Capitol, Stephen Ayers, at 9:55 a.m. On hand to welcome the Tree to Washington was U.S. Senators Michael Enzi and John Barrasso, who requested that Wyoming have the opportunity to gift the Tree to the Capitol for the first time ever.

The Tree pulls into the U.S. Capitol.

Wyoming's Tree right before it is removed from the truck and erected on the west lawn.


CCT Coordinator Mary Cernicek, Senator John Barrasso and Senator Mike Enzi.

Our driver Jeff Underwood picked up his family in Dahlonega and his wife Cindy and two children Samuel and Mary Ann were there today. The whole family rode into the Capitol together to deliver the 2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

Jeff, his wife Cindy and children Samuel and Mary Ann before delivering the Tree to the U.S. Capitol.


After the press conference, the Architect of the Capitol's office began the process of lifting the Tree of the truck and placing onto the west lawn. A crane was used to lift and suspend the Tree and then lower it into a five-foot hole where it was sealed in with cement.




Seeing the Tree lowered into its new home on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Our beautiful Tree will now be decorated with the more than 5,000 ornaments handmade by the people of Wyoming. The official lighting will be next Tuesday, December 7.

Stay tuned for updates this week as we deliver companion trees to other offices and prep for the lighting next week!

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