NV’s tree lights up history in DC — PHOTOS

After almost a year of anticipation, Silver Belle, The People’s Tree, arrived in Washington, D.C., well before dawn in the early morning hours on Friday, Nov. 21.

Knight-Swift driver Michael Porter navigated the 101-ft. Kenworth Truck and Hale Trailer along 1st Street NW to park the rig adjacent to where the tree would be hoisted by crane under the supervision of the Architect of the Capitol’s turfgrass manager, ensuring the West Lawn’s historic landscape be protected from any possible damage.

Arrival celebrations

Visiting nine states on her 3,800-mile journey across America, the 53-ft. red fir from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest ended the three-week-long whistle stop tour at Joint Base Andrews to rest under safekeeping while preparing for her Capitol debut.

The day prior to her arrival, fourth-year presenting sponsor 84 Lumber celebrated with a holiday event at the Base, donating 84 Christmas trees from Cartner’s Fraser Firs of North Carolina, which were distributed on-site to military service members and their families.

Changing hands

At the official hand-off from the U.S. Forest Service to the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), the sky was overcast but holiday spirits were bright.

As Silver Belle rested in quiet anticipation, awaiting the crane that would lift her into an upright position on the West Lawn, her lower trunk – sealed with wax to lock in moisture – glistened in the soft morning light. Just ahead on the Hale trailer, the limbs carefully saved from her base lie in a neat stack, ready to fill gaps and enhance the fullness of her branches.

With installation and fortification complete, on Monday, Nov. 24, a team of AOC employees adorned her with 6,000 festive LED lights and many of the handmade ornaments created by patriotic artists of all ages at holiday celebrations across Nevada throughout the past year. These 23,730 ornaments were flown in by Southwest Airlines on the same day as the Christmas tree distribution at Joint Base Andrews.

Silver Belle’s picture-perfect presentation for the lighting ceremony was a collaboration among not only arborists and event managers, but also masons, pipefitters, mechanics and gardeners. Electronic engineers and high-voltage electricians have long planned and prepared for this annual holiday tradition.

Handing off the baton

In a Facebook reel on Wednesday, Nov. 19, Duncan Leao, Capitol Christmas Tree Project Lead with the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and U.S. Forest Service forester Darby Boe were pleased to hold the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree plaque, a wooden keepsake created in 2015 by U.S. Forest Service employee William Dauer, which is handed down to every forest entrusted with providing the tree.

Dauer credits Keith Lannom, a retired U.S. Forest Service leader with 30 years of public service, with the idea. “[Lannom] asked me to make the baton to pass from forest to forest,” Dauer recalled in a Facebook comment of the passing of the plaque. The engraving on the back lists each of the forests that have carried this honor, dating back to 1970 when the tradition began.

Nevada’s hometown hero

Grady Armstrong, a nine-year-old fourth grader at Hugh Gallagher Elementary School in Virginia City, was one of 250 students who submitted an essay about the importance of Nevada’s public lands, and the only one from his class to do so. Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony chose his as the essay to win the honor of lighting Silver Belle.

Southwest Airlines flew Grady and his extended family to Washington, D.C. for the Dec. 2 lighting ceremony hosted by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, with opening remarks from the Architect of the Capitol, Thomas Austin. U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz pointed out that Nevada’s 23,730 ornaments were the most ever submitted in the history of this tradition.

Grady climbed up on a step-stool at the podium to read his essay full of patriotic pride of his home state, extolling the variety of our public lands. He concluded, saying, “Nevada is not just a desert. It’s full of life, history and beauty, and I think everyone should know how important it is to protect and enjoy these amazing places.”

With the U.S. Coast Guard Band playing “O Christmas Tree,” each of Nevada’s congressional delegates joined Grady at the podium as he threw the switch.

Companion Trees

Forty-five companion trees were provided by Cartner’s Fraser Firs of North Carolina — eleven to the office buildings of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior headquarters and 34 to House and Senate offices inside the U.S. Capitol, which are decorated with the tree skirts designed by Nevada quilting guilds.

Sustainable repurpose

According to Jim Kaufmann, Executive Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum at the Architect of the Capitol, Silver Belle will be lit from dusk until 11 p.m. daily until the second week of January, after which she will be recycled and reused in a sustainable and respectful manner.

Kaufmann elaborates, “At the end of prior holiday seasons, our arborists worked with District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Urban Forestry Division (UFD) to transfer the Capitol Christmas tree to their mill where wood was cut and prepared to be repurposed into durable products. For example, in 2022 the Capitol Christmas Tree, a red spruce from the Pisgah National Forest [in North Carolina] was recycled into musical instruments that were donated to North Carolina communities. Each year, we collaborate with the U.S. Forest Service and support their efforts to bring back the tree to the local community and look forward to working with them again this year.”

Historical for Nevada

Cheva Gabor, Nevada Liason with the U.S. Forest Service, reflected on the spotlight that shined on Nevada’s sustainable environmental mission and the historical meaning of Silver Belle’s journey across America. “The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest relies on our partners to help us protect our public lands and the economic benefits they provide to our communities, particularly our rural communities. Our 2025 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is a “poster tree” for the success of our Nevada Shared Stewardship model for sustainable managing public lands through partnerships with the state, other federal agencies, communities, and many other partners.”

Jessica Sterling is editor of the Pahrump Valley Times.