The Bicentennial U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

As the United States celebrated the 200th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence in 1976, everyone was busy organizing events to commemorate this milestone. Monongahela National Forest staff were hard at it too. They had the task of selecting the perfect tree for the 1976 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

After providing the first tree from the USDA Forest Service in 1970, Monongahela National Forest was chosen a second time when a 41-foot red spruce tree was selected for the 1976 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

These photographs documented the process from selecting the tree to transporting it to Washington D.C., unloading it by crane, and finally placing it on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

Now, 47 years later, Monongahela National Forest will provide the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

Follow the journey of the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on this website, along with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 
Learn more about Monongahela National Forest online and on Facebook at Monongahela National Forest.

USDA Forest Service photos.

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