CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, a 74-foot Sitka spruce from Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, made a stop in the Lower 48 states at Kenworth of Chillicothe, pulled by a Kenworth T680.
A large crowd gathered to celebrate the tree, which was decorated with 10,000 ornaments crafted by Alaskan students and community groups. The tree reached Seattle by barge after a 900-mile journey from Alaska.
The Chillicothe event was the only Ohio stop where attendees could see the tree, named “Spruce Wayne,” along with enjoying food, music, and holiday activities.
Employees could view the wrapped tree, sign the trailer banner, and send well wishes for the journey to Washington D.C.
The Kenworth T680 features a unique graphic design celebrating Alaska’s National Forests, a 76-inch sleeper, and the PACCAR Powertrain with a PACCAR MX-13 engine at 455 horsepower, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission, and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles. It’s equipped with Kenworth’s TruckTech+ for real-time GPS tracking.
This marks the 11th consecutive year a Kenworth truck has delivered the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, with this year’s delivery scheduled for November 22 to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The annual tree lighting ceremony will follow in early December.