'Twas the eve of Thanksgiving, when all through the town
the crisp air smelled of cocoa and carols abound
Menards parking lot was ready, folks arriving with care
Steve Halter was hopeful the spruce soon would be there
And at 11 a.m., it was. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree arrived in Poplar Bluff Wednesday to a crowd of several hundred people anxiously waiting, vendor booths offering sugary treats, and holiday songs filling the air. The 18-wheeler was intricately decorated with wintery scenes and equipped with a section of Plexiglass allowing the tree to shine through. To the surprise of many, it was adorned with ornaments from its home state of Montana.
"It's even better than I'd expected," said Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, who spent months organizing the visit. "I'm really excited to see so many people come out and see so many community partners set up. The weather's perfect and everybody's in the Christmas spirit."
Paul Oesterreicher and his daughters, Angelica Oesterreicher and Starr Adams, signed a banner affixed to the truck. It's the same banner hundreds of others from Montana to Missouri have signed during the Christmas tree's journey from the Kootenai National Forest, and will sign as it travels onward to Washington D.C.
"I think it's absolutely beautiful," he said. "I didn't expect it to be lighted, but it's beautiful."
Oesterreicher said he was sure to take his children to the event, as it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a national symbol so close to home.
"I've been to (Washington) D.C., before but not to see a tree like this," he added.
Angelica Oesterricher and Adams were both in agreement the Christmas tree "was amazing," and seemingly enjoyed themselves peeking through the glass from different angles and mingling with the crowd.
Montana-native Larry Spiekermeier of Whitewood Transport said he was honored to be chosen to drive the People's Tree to the nation's capital.
"I couldn't believe they chose me," he said, through a thick northern accent. "I'm just an old man, but they said no, we think you need to do it."
Spiekermeier, who has a clean driving record after 49 years of hauling, said he has received a lot of attention lately. He even has cards to hand out with his picture, hometown and driving statistics, similar to a baseball card.
"It's been so much fun because when you come to an event because everyone's so excited to see this," he said. "It's definitely been an honor."
U.S. Forest Service District Ranger Jon Stansfield said the event was an opportunity for members of the Poplar Bluff ranger district to work with various law enforcement agencies from across the country, including forest rangers from the Kootenai National Forest.
"There's a mix of agencies here to support the tree as it moves toward the capitol," he said. "This is an opportunity to shine the light on the public land managers right here in Poplar Bluff's backyard and to strengthen partnerships."
Stansfield said representatives from the Missouri Department of Conservation, Corps of Engineers, and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge were also in attendance.
"I've worked for the forest service for 18 years and I've never seen the capitol Christmas tree, let alone has it come through a town where I'm stationed," he said. "The odds are really against this happening. It was pretty cool."
The route Spiekermeyer is following was designed by California-native Mo McElroy, of the organization Choose Outdoors, and approved by the National Forest Service.
"We looked at everything from the timing to the communities to the roads themselves," she said. "We found Poplar Bluff because it's the perfect size community for where we like to bring the tree."
Halter said Poplar Bluff's new highway system deserves much credit for the event.
"There is no way a truck this size could have come here on two-lane roads," he said. "It would have been impossible."
McElroy is following the truck across the country in an SUV dressed like Rudolph. She's stopping at each whistle-stop, organizing overnight accommodations for the team and is also responsible for the reception in Washington D.C. on Nov. 27. She said although it has been a lot of work keeping everything organized, her job has allowed her to combine work with a lifelong passion for Christmas.
"I love Christmas and I always do a big Christmas celebration for my kids," she said through tears. "And then, about 20 years ago, my dad passed away on Christmas Day. For me to be here is a culmination of everything I work for."