ASHEBORO, N.C. —
It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas at the North Carolina Zoo.
Thursday, visitors got to see the 2022 Capitol Christmas tree in Asheboro. The tree is on a tour traveling across North Carolina for everyone to see.
North Carolina Zoo Director and CEO, Pat Simmons said, "This is a historic moment for us. I'm so excited to have the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree stop at the North Carolina Zoo. To be chosen and have that honor is just amazing for us. It’s so much fun. The community is thrilled by it and it's wonderful for the zoo because it's truly a historic moment."
The 78-foot red spruce named ruby was harvested from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.
Rodney Smith, a Randolph County native and Uwharrie National Forest Lumberjack was selected to be the official sawyer of the tree. Smith said he's excited to be back in his hometown showing off the Christmas tree he cut down.
“I was chosen to be the sawyer this year, and to be on our team to accompany ruby on her ride to the capitol so I feel an honor to actually be the one to cut the tree”, Smith said.
The North Carolina Zoo said it's a historic moment.
Ruby will make three more stops in North Carolina before heading to Virginia and Maryland.
“It was a name that was picked ruby the red spruce, we had a little competition people sent in names of what they’d like to be the name of the capitol Christmas tree this year and ruby was the one chosen," Smith said.
Ruby the red spruce will arrive in Washington, DC on the 18th where it will be placed on the front lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
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