WHITNEY A. SMIT
Utah is getting a chance to add to the nation’s Christmas festivities by donating a 70-foot Englemann spruce tree, which will stand at the Capitol as the nation’s Christmas beacon.
The tree, which was cut from the Manti-Lasal National Forest, just 30 miles outside of Price in the Huntington Canyon, will be the first Christmas tree from Utah to hail the Capitol.
“We have had other trees from Utah sent to the White House for Christmas, but this is the first tree from Utah to stand at the Capitol,” said Kathy Jo Pollock, spokeswoman for the Utah Centennial Tree to D.C. Program.
Pollock also said the tree, which began its journey from Salt Lake City at 1 p.m. Tuesday, has quite a trip ahead of it.
“The tree will arrive in Cheyenne today for a celebration and then continue on to South Dakota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland and then on into D.C.,” Pollock said.
Once the tree arrives, a presidential escort will follow it to the Capitol on the morning of Dec. 2.
According to Pollock, there is great history behind the area of forest from which the tree came.
“The tree was cut down near the Stuart Guard Station, which was part of a 1935 Conservation Corps project initiated by Pres. Roosevelt during the depression,” Pollock said.
“It initially was a WPA project which now will become even a greater part of Utah history.”
The lucky lumberjack whose gargantuan task was to saw down the tree is quite famous himself. Ron Hartill, a seven-time world champion lumberjack from Bank River Island, British Columbia, did the honors and declared the experience a great thrill.
“It was a great honor. It was the fifth tree I have cut down for the Capitol,” Hartill said.
Pollock continued by saying that the site where the tree stump now stands will be made into a historical marker and the Stuart Guard Station will be turned into a visitors center for all to enjoy.
“This is a great capstone to Utah’s Centennial celebration,” Pollock said.
However, the tree itself is not the only bit of Utah that will grace the nation’s Capitol this Christmas. Over 4,000 ornaments, hand-crafted by Utahns, will serve as the tree’s source of decor.
“The Granite School District made several hundred ornaments made from granite rock and holly,” Pollock said.
In addition to the 4,000 ornaments, the tree will be showered in more than 5,000 lights.
The tree-lighting ceremony will take place in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m. EST. The tree will be lit by Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA).
In Utah, the tree at the State Capitol will be lit simultaneously by Utah Governor Mike Leavitt.
