Newport News Capitol Christmas Tree: Giant tree coming to City Center on Black Friday

http://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-nws-capitol-tree-evg-20111123,0,1317714.story

NEWPORT NEWS — At 118 years old and standing 63 feet tall, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree — barnstorming the country on its annual tour — will roll into City Center on Friday.

While the 8,300-pound tree remains on an 80-foot flatbed truck during the tour, visitors will be able to see about eight feet of the Sierra White Fir through acrylic glass.

The city prepared festivities to go along with the viewing, which will be from 3-6 p.m. on Friday. The event includes free refreshments, crafts, caroling, carriage and train rides, holiday games and a display by the Virginia Living Museum. It will also be a drop-off location for Toys for Tots.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Susan Lineberry, a promotions coordinator for the city of Newport News. “We feel very privileged.” Lineberry, who has worked for the city since the late 1970s, said she believes the U.S. Capitol tree is making its first stop in Newport News.

City officials had to scramble, she said, because they had only about two months to prepare, where normally it takes nine months to a year to organize a similar event.

“It was hard because people were already booked or didn’t want to work the day after Thanksgiving,” she said. “But I think we put together a really nice event.”

The tree hails from Stanislaus National Forest in California, and has made stops in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and appropriately, Santa Claus, Ind.

“Each community that’s hosted us has done different things,” said Maria Benech, the Capitol Christmas Tree coordinator who works for the national forest. “We had a Navajo (tribe) medicine man bless the tree. It’s really run the gamut.”

Benech is part of the crew that travels with the tree, which needs police escorts once it moves off of the interstate highways. Overnight, the tree always stays in a location where it’s locked up, with 24-hour video surveillance and a guard, Benech said.

She said when they stop at gas stations, people line up to see the tree, and many drivers wave or honk to them on the highways.

“Maneuvering it in cities is a challenge sometimes, but actually it’s been very easy to travel with,” Benech said.

Benech said Newport News was chosen because they chose a Southern route, and Newport News was a stop on the way back north. Also, a relative of the tree’s traveling entourage lives in Newport News, Benech said.

After stopping in Newport News, the tree heads to Hershey, Pa., on Sunday, the final stop before its arrival in Washington, D.C. By then, the caravan will have traveled more than 4,500 miles over three weeks, according to the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree website.

The tree rests on a custom cradle, to prevent damage. A rubber bladder fixed to the free provides fresh water, about 60 gallons per day, according to the website.

Bill Hudgins, a vice president for City Center developer Harvey Lindsay, said the Capitol Christmas tree event is exciting for City Center, and something everyone will remember for a long time.

National forests began providing trees for the Capitol Christmas tree in 1970.

About the tree

The tree will be at City Center in Newport News from 3-6 p.m. on Friday.

Height: 63 feet

Age: 118 years

Weight: 8,300 pounds

Width: 23 feet

More details: http://www.capitolchristmastree2011.org or http://www.trackthetree.com

Source: Stanislaus National Forest