Submitted photo
A group of employees with the U.S. Forest Service prepare to help harvest the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Wednesday at Laurel Fork Campground in Randolph County. The tree will make its first public appearance during its upcoming tour Saturday evening in Elkins.
LAUREL FORK — The 63-foot Norway spruce Christmas Tree that will be displayed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol this holiday season was harvested from the Laurel Fork Campground in Randolph County on Wednesday morning.
The location of the tree was kept secret until its removal from the Monongahela National Forest, after sawyers Arden Cogar Jr. and Ron Polga harvested the tree with a cross-cut saw.
A large number of government agencies, partners, sponsors and friends of the U.S. Forest Service attended the event to witness the harvesting.
After being cut, the spruce was placed onto a truck and taken away from the Wilderness Area, that is located in the Middle Mountain area of Randolph County. The campground is situated on an old Civilian Conservation Corps camp along the Laurel Fork River.
The Capitol Christmas Tree will begin a month-long tour of West Virginia, beginning with a kick-off event Saturday in Elkins. The tree will then make 11 additional stops in communities across the state before it is delivered to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 17.
After the tree arrives at the Capitol, it will be decorated with ornaments and tree skirts that are handmade by residents of West Virginia. The tree will go on display to the public in the month of December.
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative is a 53-year tradition in which one of America’s 154 national forests provides a tree for the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol each holiday season.
The first-ever Capitol Tree was a 24-foot Douglas Fir that was placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn in 1964. Each year since, the tree has been decorated and a tree-lighting ceremony has been held.
The schedule of tour events for this year’s tree includes:
Saturday, Nov. 4, 6-8 p.m. Elkins Depot Welcome Center (315 Railroad Ave, Elkins, WV 26241)
Sunday, Nov. 5, 2-4 p.m. Summersville Arena and Conference Center (3 Armory Way, Summersville, WV 26651)
Monday, Nov. 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Mitchell Chevrolet (400 8th St, Marlinton, WV 24954)
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tamarack Marketplace (One Tamarack Place, Beckley, WV 25801); 5-7 p.m. WV State Capitol Complex (1716 Kanawha Blvd E, Charleston, WV 25305)
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Former ACF Industries Parking Lot (3rd Avenue between 22nd and 24th streets, Huntington, WV 25703)
Thursday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. White Palace at Wheeling Park (1801 National Road, Wheeling, WV 26003)
Friday, Nov. 10, 3-5 p.m. 84 Lumber (3208 Earl L. Core Road, Morgantown, WV 26508)
Saturday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Operation Welcome Home at Mylan Park (452 Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown, WV 26501); 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. West Virginia University at Downtown Morgantown (243 High St, Morgantown, WV 26505)
Sunday, Nov. 12, 2-4 p.m. Swilled Dog/Raymond’s Gymnastic Center (28 Industrial Park Road, Upper Tract, WV 26866)
Monday, Nov. 13, 4-6 p.m. DavisYard (533 William Avenue, Davis, WV 26260)
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. WV Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (301 E Main St, Romney, WV 26757)
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 12-2 p.m. Harpers Ferry Job Corps Center (146 Buffalo Dr, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425)
Thursday, Nov. 16, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Joint Base Andrews (Base only)
Friday, Nov. 17, Delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building
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