Capitol Christmas Tree to start journey from Oregon in November

Soon, the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will begin its more than 3,000-mile journey from Sweet Home, Ore., to Washington, D.C.

On Nov. 2, the tree will be cut from the Williamette National Forest and eventually delivered in a Kenworth to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The tour will involve 25 communities along the way as it makes stops in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and Maryland before the official tree lighting occurs in early December.

The trip will commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Oregon Trail, tracing the historic route in reverse. The tree is set to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Nov. 25.

A full listing of all the stops on the tour can be found here.

Attendees at each stop will have the opportunity to sign banners on the sides of the truck and learn more about the tree and the Williamette National Forest.

The tree will be hauled by Central Oregon Truck Co., Redmond, Ore. CEO Rick Williams and longtime partner Phil Taylor will drive much of the way, with plans to include some tenured drivers for special legs of the trip.

“It is an honor to be selected to carry the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and to represent the great state of Oregon during the tree’s tourney to Washington, D.C.,” Williams said in a news release. “Hauling the precious cargo and the joy it brings to Americans across the country will certainly be one of the most memorable loads of a lifetime.”