U.S. Capitol Christmas tree to begin its journey

Each year a truck is chosen to deliver the U.S. Capitol’s Christmas tree from where it was grown to the West Lawn of the Capitol. This year, it will be a Kenworth T680 Next Generation driven by the husband-and-wife team Harold “Ed” Kingdon Jr. and Deborah Z. Kingdon, as reported by Overdrive.

The tree is a 78-foot Red Spruce and was grown in the Pisgah National Forest in the North Carolina section of the Appalachian Mountains. It has yet to be harvested, with the anticipated date for harvest set as Nov. 2. This has given the Kingdons plenty of time to prepare their truck for the journey.

Hardy Brothers Trucking, the Kenworth’s carrier, chose a build that includes a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper. On the sides and roof of the truck, special graphic designs have been installed to fit the year’s themes: From the Mountains to the Sea and From the National Forests in North Carolina. On the sides, the designs include a colorful sunset in the background, with the U.S. Capitol and the tree in the foreground. The sunset background was made to look as though it was from the viewpoint of Pisgah National Forest. The logo for the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is on the roof of the truck.

It will not be a direct drive for the Kingdons. They will stop in several North Carolina towns, one location in Virginia and two in Washington D.C., including the West Lawn for the lighting ceremony. Along with lights strung on it, the tree will be decorated with handmade ornaments made by the people who call North Carolina home, a nod to the tree’s origin.

The celebrations for the Capitol Christmas tree will begin on Nov.5 and conclude on Nov. 30 with the tree lighting. Below is a detailed look of the places the Kingdons will stop as they take the famed Christmas tree home for the holidays.

• Nov. 5: Western North Carolina Agricultural Center, Fletcher, North Carolina
• Nov. 6: Cherokee County Courthouse, Murphy, North Carolina
• Nov. 6: Oconaluftee Island Park Event Site, Cherokee, North Carolina
• Nov. 7: Pisgah Forest Ranger Station & Visitor Center, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
• Nov. 7: Marion Main Street, Marion, North Carolina
• Nov. 8: Avery County Cooperative Extension Center, Newland, North Carolina
• Nov. 8: Watauga High School, Boone, North Carolina
• Nov. 8: Downtown Newton, Newton, North Carolina
• Nov. 9: Veteran’s Memorial Park, Mount Airy, North Carolina
• Nov. 9: Troy Town Hall, Troy, North Carolina
• Nov. 10: North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina
• Nov. 11: North Carolina Veteran’s Home, Kinston, North Carolina
• Nov. 12: Union Point Park, New Bern, North Carolina
• Nov. 13: Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo, North Carolina
• Nov. 14: Suffolk Visitors Center, Suffolk, Virginia
• Nov. 18: Delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.
• Nov. 30: Tree Lighting Ceremony, Washington, D.C.