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The US Capitol Christmas tree lighting has been a thing for more than 50 years. Since then, the tree has been through a lot of changes. We looked back at how this tradition — and the tree — has grown.
In 1913, the first Christmas tree was erected on Capitol grounds.
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Library of Congress
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Though the tradition of a tree lighting ceremony started much later , a Christmas tree was placed on the Capitol lawn before that, a tradition that started in 1913 with a "community Christmas" in Washington. The 40-foot Norway spruce was accompanied by a nativity scene and a choir.
It happened again in 1914, but was then suspended for budget cuts.
In 1964, the first official Christmas tree was decorated.
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Wikimedia Commons/USCapitol
House Speaker John W. McCormack apparently suggested to J. George Stewart, architect of the Capitol, that there should be a Christmas tree on the Capitol lawn. Thus, one was planted and a tradition was started. It began with a relatively modest 24-foot tree.
The same tree continued to be decorated for a few years.
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Wikimedia Commons/USCapitol
That same tree — a 24-foot Douglas Fir from Buddies Nurseries in Pennsylvania — was meant to stay on the lawn and be re-decorated each year.
Unfortunately that tree was damaged in 1967.
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Wikimedia Commons/USCapitol
A severe windstorm in 1967 caused the tree to die in 1968 .
In 1968, a new tree was brought in.
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Wikimedia/USCapitol
The 1968 tree was a 30-foot White Pine from Finxburg, Maryland.
In 1969, another new tree was brought in.
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Wikimedia Commons/US Capitol
The 1969 tree was a 40-foot White Pine from Westminister, Maryland.
In 1970, the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service provided a tree.
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Wikimedia Common/USCapitol
It was a 40-foot tree from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service has provided the trees ever since .
In 1972, the tree hit 50 feet.
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Wikimedia Common/US Capitol
The 1972 tree was a 50-foot Balsam Fir from Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee.
From 1974 to 1976 it shrunk back down to 41 feet.
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Wikimedia Common/US Capitol
The 1975 tree was a 41-foot Balsam Fir from Ottawa National Forest in Michigan.
In the 80s, the tree hovered around 50 feet.
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Wikimedia Common/US Capitol
The 1981 tree was a 50-foot White Spruce from Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan.
In 1990, the tree hit a whopping 65 feet.
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Wikimedia Commons/US Capitol
The 1990 tree was a 65-foot Engelmann Spruce from Routt National Forest in Colorado.
In 1995, House Republican freshmen had a news conference at the tree.
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AP
In the late 90s, the Capitol Christmas tree was renamed the "Capitol Holiday Tree."
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REUTERS/Str Old
The 1996 tree was a 75-foot tree from the Manti-LaSal National Forest in Utah.
It's unclear exactly when the name "Capitol Holiday Tree" was introduced.
In 1998, people enjoyed the Christmas tree in shorts.
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REUTERS/STR New
The temperatures reached the 70s in December, according to the AP. The tree that year was a 50-foot tree from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.
In 2004, the tree came from Virginia for the first time.
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Reuters Photographer
The tree was a 70-foot red spruce tree from the George Washington National Forest in Highland County, Virginia.
In 2005, the name changed back to the Capitol Christmas Tree lighting.
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AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson
The name change was apparently a directive from then- House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, according to the Washington Times.
The 2005 tree was a 60-foot tree from the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico.
In 2006, the tree appeared to be redecorated with blue Christmas lights.
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Wikimedia Commons/US Capitol
The 2006 tree was a 65-foot Pacific Silver Fir from Olympic National Forest, Washington.
In 2008, the tree soared to 70 feet.
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AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
The 2008 tree was a 70-foot Subalpine Fir from Montana's Bitterroot National Forest.
In 2013, the tree featured handmade ornaments.
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AP Photo/Susan Walsh
The 2013 tree was an 88-foot Engelmann spruce, from the Colville National Forest in Washington State.
The theme was "Sharing Washington's Good Nature."
In 2014, the tree stood in front of an under-construction Capitol building.
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AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
The tree was a giant 88-foot tree from Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota.
In 2017, the tree was 80 feet tall.
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AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
The tree was chosen from the Kootenai National Forest in Montana.
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