U.S. Capitol Christmas tree harvested from Nevada for the first time

ELY, Nevada (ABC4) — For the first time, the Christmas tree that will decorate the United States Capitol was harvested from Nevada, and it passed through Ely for a special event on its way to Washington D.C.

The 2025 Capitol tree is called “Silver Belle,” and it is a 53-foot-tall red fir tree. It was harvested from Nevada’s Humbold-Toiyabe National Forest, a first for the Capitol tree. It came from the Carson Ranger District, and when it is on display, it will be adorned with 10,000 handmade ornaments.

The tree is traveling across the country on a tour to Washington D.C., and Ely was the fourth stop after Carson City, Elko, and Lovelock. The Ely event took place on Monday, November 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Nevada Northern Railway.

Photos from the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree tour stop in Elko, courtesy of U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

The event featured a proclamation from the Ely mayor, local vendors, student performances, and locally brewed beers. People were able to make ornaments, meet barnyard animals, and get a tree-cutting permit from the U.S. Forest Service to be able to cut down their own Christmas trees for the season.

Schussboom Brewing brewed exclusive holiday-themed beers for the Capitol Christmas Tree tour, the White Pine Public Museum offered festive cocktails, and the Learning Bridge Charter School did a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”

After Ely, the tree will continue on to Las Vegas, and then across the country until it reaches its destination of Washington D.C. The tree will be displayed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the 2025 holiday season.

You can learn more about the tradition of the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree and previous years’ trees on their website.