This weekend, thousands of Wyoming families will gather around the Christmas tree.

Of all the trees in Wyoming history, only one has represented the Cowboy State at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

In 2010, a 67-feet-tall Engleman Spruce harvested from the Bridger-Teton National Forest was chosen by the United States Forest Service to represent Wyoming on the west lawn of the United States Capitol.

To celebrate the state motto "Forever West", the tree was decorated with nearly 5,000 ornaments made from students in Wyoming schools and lit with nearly 10,000 LEDs.

The People's Tree, as it was also called, was hauled by semi-truck from Jackson to Washington, D.C., making several stops for public appearances along the way.

The tree's cross country trip was documented by Wyoming PBS in the 2011 film "From Wyoming to the Nation: Journey to the Capitol". 

 

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