The Montana State Capitol is looking and smelling a lot more like the holidays, as crew of 10 people spent Friday setting up a Christmas tree in the rotunda.
It takes a lot of equipment, about seven bins of ornaments, and 10 to 12 strands of lights to get the tree picture-perfect.
It also takes some Treasure State teamwork.
“This is the people’s house,” said general services administrator Steve Baiamonte. “Traditionally, people like to put in a tree for the holidays. Secondly, because we’re an agricultural and timber state, it’s something really cool we can do to showcase a really important industry in Montana.”
Baiamonte says the 1,000 pound, 30-foot Douglas Fir is from Deer Creek in Lewis & Clark County.
Lincoln-based Wayne Sherill Logging harvested the tree, donated by the McDonald Family Ranch in Canyon Creek.
Baiamonte said, “We work with the Montana Logging Association every year, to try to find a tree close by that will be suitable to get into the rotunda.”
Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney even helped hang a few ornaments Friday afternoon.
Baiamonte says the tree will stay put until the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
It will be mulched once it’s taken down.
- Reported by Evelyn Schultz
