A tree from Maryland has been selected as the official Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree for the first time, organizers for the iconic attraction announced today.
The 12-ton, 79-foot tall Norway Spruce was donated by a family from Elkton, which is located in Cecil County in the northeast corner of the state, about 100 miles from the District.
The tree will be cut Nov. 11 and then shipped to New York City, where it will arrive two days later.
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Once it arrives at Rockefeller Center, the 85-year old tree will be decorated in 50,000 multi-colored LED lights and topped with a 900-pound Swarovski star covered in 3 million crystals.
The official lighting of the tree is set for Dec. 1 and can be viewed live on NBC.
Not only is this tree the first from Maryland to earn the distinction, it's also the first for the entire D.C. area. No trees have yet been selected by Rockefeller Center from Virginia or the District.
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More information about the tree and related festivities can be found here.
