Kristin Salaky

<p>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.</p>

<h1> In 1913, the first Christmas tree was erected on Capitol grounds. </h1>

<p>Though the tradition of a <a id="f4bf423a-4e2a-3a74-aa3e-e093492cdf86" href="https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1901-1950/The-origins-of-the-Capitol-Christmas-tree/">  tree lighting ceremony started much later </a> , 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.</p>

<p>It happened again in 1914, but was then suspended for budget cuts.</p>

<h1> In 1964, the first official Christmas tree was decorated. </h1>

<p>House Speaker John W. McCormack <a id="0f536efa-319c-3a38-a051-53088120eb9e" href="https://www.aoc.gov/nations-stage/capitol-christmas-tree">  apparently suggested to </a> <a id="a6247739-49d3-35bc-a41f-d97f6279cee9" href="https://www.aoc.gov/nations-stage/capitol-christmas-tree">  J. George Stewart, </a> 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.</p>

<h1> The same tree continued to be decorated for a few years. </h1>

<p>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.</p>

<h1> Unfortunately that tree was damaged in 1967. </h1>

<p>A severe windstorm in 1967 <a id="539ec406-34e2-3454-a847-0b5f3485286a" href="https://www.aoc.gov/nations-stage/capitol-christmas-tree">  caused the tree to die in 1968 </a> .</p>

<h1> In 1968, a new tree was brought in. </h1>

<p>The 1968 tree was a 30-foot White Pine from Finxburg, Maryland.</p>

<h1> In 1969, another new tree was brought in. </h1>

<p>The 1969 tree was a 40-foot White Pine from Westminister, Maryland.</p>

<h1> In 1970, the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service provided a tree. </h1>

<p>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 <a id="9267125b-93c3-35f7-a82c-a3a62d2f346f" href="https://www.aoc.gov/nations-stage/capitol-christmas-tree">  ever since </a> .</p>

<p>The 1972 tree was a 50-foot Balsam Fir from Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee.</p>

<h1> From 1974 to 1976 it shrunk back down to 41 feet. </h1>

<p>The 1975 tree was a 41-foot Balsam Fir from Ottawa National Forest in Michigan.</p>

<h1> In the 80s, the tree hovered around 50 feet. </h1>

<p>The 1981 tree was a 50-foot White Spruce from Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan.</p>

<h1> In 1990, the tree hit a whopping 65 feet. </h1>

<p>The 1990 tree was a 65-foot Engelmann Spruce from Routt National Forest in Colorado.</p>

<h1> In 1995, House Republican freshmen had a news conference at the tree. </h1>

<h1> In the late 90s, the Capitol Christmas tree was renamed the "Capitol Holiday Tree." </h1>

<p>The 1996 tree was a 75-foot tree from the Manti-LaSal National Forest in Utah.</p>

<p>It's unclear <a id="5dd789b1-0672-3ae1-aa5e-0d15490a218c" href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/nov/29/20051129-120703-5977r/">  exactly when </a> the name "Capitol Holiday Tree" was introduced.</p>

<h1> In 1998, people enjoyed the Christmas tree in shorts. </h1>

<p>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.</p>

<h1> In 2004, the tree came from Virginia for the first time. </h1>

<p>The tree was a 70-foot red spruce tree from the George Washington National Forest in Highland County, Virginia.</p>

<h1> In 2005, the name changed back to the Capitol Christmas Tree lighting. </h1>

<p>The name change was apparently a <a id="15e1117f-5c29-3e57-a285-7b94c0b6ad96" href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/nov/29/20051129-120703-5977r/">  directive from then- </a> <a id="b451e8a4-603d-33db-abe6-8601de8250ae" href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/nov/29/20051129-120703-5977r/">  House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, </a> according to the Washington Times.</p>

<p>The 2005 tree was a 60-foot tree from the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico.</p>

<h1> In 2006, the tree appeared to be redecorated with blue Christmas lights. </h1>

<p>The 2006 tree was a 65-foot Pacific Silver Fir from Olympic National Forest, Washington.</p>

<h1> In 2008, the tree soared to 70 feet. </h1>

<p>The 2008 tree was a 70-foot Subalpine Fir from Montana's Bitterroot National Forest.</p>

<h1> In 2013, the tree featured handmade ornaments. </h1>

<p>The 2013 tree was an 88-foot Engelmann spruce, from the Colville National Forest in Washington State.</p>

<p>The theme was "Sharing Washington's Good Nature."</p>

<h1> In 2014, the tree stood in front of an under-construction Capitol building. </h1>

<p>The tree was a giant 88-foot tree from Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota.</p>

<p>The tree was chosen from the Kootenai National Forest in Montana.</p>

<p>Visit <a id="1f84d53c-d05e-3d8d-a9e4-592ca7223ca4" href="https://www.thisisinsider.com/?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest">  INSIDER's homepage </a> for more.</p>

The evolution of the US Capitol Christmas tree

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Kristin Salaky

Articles written by the author

The evolution of the US Capitol Christmas tree