The United States Capitol Christmas tree will make a stop in Mitchell on Thursday on its journey across the country from near Seward, Alaska, to the White House.
According to Katie Knutson, director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, a spur-of-the-moment decision will bring the 74-foot tall tree to town.
"They weren't actually planning on stopping in Mitchell," Knutson said. "But one of the girls with it was here in Mitchell this summer and saw the Corn Palace and said 'We have to go there.' "
Knutson said she received the call informing her of the stop on Tuesday. She said the tree was cut on Oct. 27, then traveled to Rapid City on Wednesday for one of its 15 community celebrations planned throughout the 4,000-mile tour. The trip will culminate with the official tree lighting in early December.
The tree will be available for photos outside of the Corn Palace at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, but won't be available for long, Knutson said, as the group has to continue its journey to its next stop in Nebraska.
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"We didn't have time to plan anything too big because it was short notice," Knutson said. "But to have a huge tree coming down Main Street, and the Capitol's tree outside of the Corn Palace, is pretty neat."
Smaller, companion trees also will be provided by the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association to decorate offices inside of the U.S. Capitol building and other sites throughout Washington, D.C., along with 4,000 ornaments designed and created by artists and school children across Alaska, according to a press release from the Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau.
