84 Lumber helps drive a tradition
The Tongass and Chugach National Forests, nonprofit partner Society
of American Foresters and presenting sponsor 84 Lumber have identified the locations of the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Whistle-Stop Tour. This year's journey starts in Alaska’s “First City,” Ketchikan, and continues 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 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. 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, and discover the 54-year tradition of the USDA Forest Service providing the “People’s Tree."
“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 as a symbol of hope, peace and unity, 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.
84 Lumber is hosting a special event at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware so that military service members and families from across the installation can come together to see the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on its journey and enjoy the celebration. On November 20, the tree will be stationed in front of Welch Elementary School and Dover Air Force Base Middle School that serve children who live on the base. Service members, their families and retirees can view the tree, sign the truck banner and enjoy holiday treats. In addition, 84 Lumber is gifting 84 trees to base families as part of the holiday tradition.
84 Lumber also will honor military service members at a stopover at the end of the tree’s journey at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Christmas trees will also be presented by 84 Lumber as an early holiday gift to families at Joint Base Andrews. This is the final stop on the tree’s journey to Washington, D.C., where it will be unwrapped and transported to the U.S. Capitol. Team Andrews plays an important role in helping to unwrap, prepare, and stage the tree for easy transfer off the truck when it reaches the Capitol.
The tour’s public 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
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 6 – Renton, WA
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, 1201 Lake Washington Blvd N. Renton, WA
4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 8 – Baker City, Oregon
Baker County Fairgrounds & Event Center -Rodeo Grounds, 2600 E. St., Baker City, Ore.
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 9 – Pocatello, Idaho
The Pocatello Veterans Day Parade, 700 E. Lewis St., Pocatello, Idaho
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
4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 10 – Grand Junction, Colorado
Cabela’s, 2424 US-6, Grand Junction, Colorado
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 11 – Loveland, Colorado
The Ranch Events Complex, 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland, Colorado
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, Neb.
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 16 – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Parkview Field, 1301 Ewing St., Fort Wayne, Indiana
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 17 – Columbus, Ohio
Center of Science and Industry, 333 W. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 19 – Hagerstown, Maryland
The Maryland Theater, 21 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, Maryland
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, click here.
