Capitol Christmas tree to be cut from Arizona forest

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An 85-foot blue spruce soon will embark on a long journey from the mountains of northeastern Arizona to Washington, D.C., to stand as the Capitol Christmas tree.

The 7,000-pound tree is taller than a seven-story building and will be harvested Saturday. From Alpine, Ariz., it will go on a statewide tour before arriving on Capitol Hill on Nov. 30.

The tradition of having states provide a Capitol Christmas tree started nearly 40 years ago, and this is the first year that the tree will come from Arizona.

Harvesting the tree that was chosen for its height, color, fullness and lack of obvious defects is no small feat. It will take a mechanized cutter, two cranes with a 110-foot reach and about an hour to lay it on a specially designed set of cradles.

-- Associated Press

A Black Hills Spruce Christmas tree from South Dakota is decorated and lit on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1997, in the front of the United States Capitol following the tree lighting ceremony in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)