ELKINS — This year’s National Christmas Tree on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building will be from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. However, before the tree is hoisted into place on Capitol Hill, it will take a tour around the Mountain State so folks can get a look at it and be part of the celebration.
From Nov. 4-17, local communities will welcome the arrival of the 63-foot Norway spruce. It will be featured at parks, plazas, schools, an other venues. The tree will be wrapped up in an extra long trailer with banners attached to each side. Guests will be able to sign the banners and learn more about the Monongahela National Forest and purchase various U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree merchandise as they celebrate the holiday in their communities.
It will make three stops in Morgantown on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11 — from 3-5 p.m. Nov. 10 at 84 Lumber (3208 Earl L. Core Road); from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 11 at Operation Welcome Home at Mylan Park (452 Mylan Park Lane) and from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at downtown at 243 High St.
“We are grateful to the communities of West Virginia for hosting these special events,” said Shawn Cochran, forest supervisor for Monongahela National Forest, “and the many sponsors that make this tour possible. Our staff looks forward to sharing the holiday excitement and fun with people of all ages on the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree tour.”
The Capitol Christmas Tree each year comes from a national forest somewhere in the United States. This will be the third time the Monongahela National Forest has provided the tree. West Virginia provided the first Capitol Christmas Tree in 1970 and again in 1976.
Officials have also released the schedule of the tree’s tour on its way from a remote site deep in the West Virginia mountains to Washington, D.C. The tour will kick off Nov. 4, with a special celebration in Elkins, home to the headquarters of Monongahela National Forest. Hosted in partnership with the Elkins-Randolph Chamber of Commerce and Elkins Mainstreet, the city will become “Elfkins,” with annual holiday lights and festivities planned at the Elkins Depot Welcome Center, including an appearance by Mark Bowe, host of Magnolia Network’s Barnwood Builders.
Tree travel schedule
- Nov. 4, 6-8 p.m., Elkins Depot Welcome Center (315 Railroad Ave., Elkins)
- Nov. 5, 2-4 p.m., Summersville Arena and Conference Center (3 Armory Way, Summersville)
- Nov. 6, 4-6 p.m., Mitchell Chevrolet (400 8th St., Marlinton)
- Nov. 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Tamarack Marketplace (One Tamarack Place, Beckley); 5-7 p.m. West Virginia State Capitol Complex (1716 Kanawha Blvd. E, Charleston)
- Nov. 8, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Former ACF Industries Parking Lot (3rd Avenue between 22nd and 24th streets, Huntington)
- Nov. 9, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., White Palace at Wheeling Park (1801 National Road, Wheeling)
- Nov. 10, 3-5 p.m., 84 Lumber (3208 Earl L. Core Road, Morgantown)
- Nov. 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Operation Welcome Home at Mylan Park (452 Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown); 2:30-4:30 p.m. in downtown Morgantown (243 High St., Morgantown)
- Nov. 12, 2-4 p.m., Swilled Dog/Raymond’s Gymnastic Center (28 Industrial Park Road, Upper Tract)
- Nov. 13, 4-6 p.m., Davis Yard (533 William Ave., Davis)
- Nov. 14, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., West Virgnia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (301 E Main St., Romney)
- Nov. 15, noon-2 p.m., Harpers Ferry Job Corps Center (146 Buffalo Drive, Harpers Ferry)
- Nov. 16, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Joint Base Andrews (Base only)
- Nov. 17, delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.
