EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (Oct. 17, 2024) –The Tongass and Chugach National Forests, nonprofit partner Society of American Foresters, and presenting sponsor 84 Lumber, are excited to announce the 11 locations of the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Whistle-Stop Tour starting in Alaska’s “First City,” Ketchikan, and continuing to its final stop on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building.
Every year, a different national forest is selected to provide a tree to appear on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building for the holiday season. The 2024 tree will be coming from Alaska’s National Forests. The first and only previous U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to come from Alaska was sent from the Chugach National Forest in 2015. This year, the tree will come from the Tongass National Forest – America’s largest national forest.
The tree’s 4,000-mile journey from Wrangell, Alaska, to the U.S. Capitol will kick off on Oct. 30, 2024. Over three weeks, the tour will travel to the Lower 48 by sea and then by truck from the Pacific coast of the United States to the eastern seaboard.
“This event is an opportunity to impact so many communities across the country and is a key piece of U.S. holiday tradition,” said Maggie Hardy, owner and CEO of 84 Lumber. “For those able to attend the whistle-stops, the sense of excitement and togetherness is terrific.”
Part of 84 Lumber’s messaging in support of the 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree is to honor and hire U.S. military veterans. This message is displayed on the banner adorning the truck carrying the tree to the Capitol as an encouragement to employers to consider hiring veterans to fill their open positions.
At each stop along the way, people will have the opportunity to sign the banner of the uniquely Alaskan trailer; learn about Alaska’s national forests; the 54-year tradition of the USDA Forest Service providing “the People’s Tree”; purchase U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree souvenirs from Alaska Geographic; and more.
The tour’s whistle-stops before the tree is delivered to Washington, D.C. are:
Wednesday, Oct. 30 – Ketchikan, Alaska
Alaska Marine Highway Terminal, 3501 Tongass Ave., Ketchikan, Alaska
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 8 – Baker City, Oregon
Baker County Fairgrounds & Event Center -Rodeo Grounds, 2600 E. St., Baker City, Oregon
Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 9 – Pocatello, Idaho
The Pocatello Veterans Day Parade, 700 E. Lewis St., Pocatello, Idaho
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 9 – Murray, Utah
Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation's Wheeler Historic Farm, 6351 S 900 E., Murray, Utah
Time: 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 10 – Grand Junction, Colorado
Cabela’s, 2424 US-6, Grand Junction, Colorado
Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 11 – Loveland, Colorado
The Ranch Events Complex, 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland, Colorado
Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 – Omaha, Nebraska
Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront at The RiverFront, 1110 Farnam St., Omaha, Nebraska
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 16 – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Parkview Field, 1301 Ewing St., Fort Wayne, Indiana
Time: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 17 – Columbus, Ohio
Center of Science and Industry, 333 W. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio
Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 19 – Hagerstown, Maryland
The Maryland Theater, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, Maryland
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The tree lighting ceremony will take place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in early December.
Tour dates and locations are subject to change. For more information on the whistle-stop tour events, visit: www.uscapitolchristmastree.com/calendar
Website: www.uscapitolchristmastree.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USCapitolChristmasTree
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uscapitolchristmastree/
X: https://twitter.com/USCapitolTree
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About the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative is a 54-year tradition in which one of America’s 154 national forests provides a tree for the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the holiday season. The project is made possible with support from partners, including nonprofit Society of American Foresters and Alaska Geographic, cash and in-kind contributions from small businesses and large corporations, as well as volunteers throughout Alaska and across the United States. We invite everyone to learn more and follow the journey of the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree at: https://www.uscapitolchristmastree.com/
About 84 Lumber
Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Co. is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single and multifamily residences and commercial buildings. The company operates 320 facilities which include stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, and engineered wood product centers in 34 states. 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for a variety of products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking, and drywall. A certified national women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy, 84 Lumber was named as one of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 by Newsweek and was named one of America’s Top Retailers 2024 by USA Today. The company was also recognized as one of America’s Largest Private Companies in 2023 by Forbes. The company also made the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2023. For more information, visit www.84lumber.com and join us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.