The lighting of the Christmas, or holiday, tree is one of the most anticipated and festive events for communities across the nation. Outside of parades honoring veterans or fireworks displays on July 4, few events bring communities together during the year as the lighting of the local Christmas tree.
It is an opportunity for children to experience the wonder of the season and perhaps see Santa Claus. The tree-lighting event is also a time for neighbors to become reacquainted over a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. Even though in recent years the displaying of the Christmas tree on public property has prompted constitutional issues involving the separation of church and state, the tree itself has become a symbol of civic pride, and it brings communities together.
24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of the tallest Christmas tree in every state. We tapped sources such as media reports, state and city chambers of commerce, forestry commissions, the National Christmas Tree Association, and Christmas tree associations in various states to assemble the list. Since many of the tallest trees have yet to be raised for this holiday season, we used the best available information from last year for the list. Many of the tree-lighting traditions use natural trees such as Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir, and white pine. Other localities have opted for artificial trees, and 24/7 Wall St. has included those as well. Heights for trees in some states are estimates.
Click here to see the biggest Christmas tree in every state.
We can thank Edward H. Johnson, a colleague of Thomas Edison, for first electrically illuminating a Christmas tree at his home in New York City in 1882. Electricity allowed Christmas trees to glow for days, and soon they began to appear in town squares and eventually malls across the country. That tradition has led to such celebrated tree-lighting extravaganzas as the annual ceremony at Rockefeller Center, which began during the Great Depression and is televised every year.
One of the more poignant tree-lighting ceremonies occurs in Boston. The Christmas tree there is a gift from the province of Nova Scotia, Canada in gratitude for Boston’s help following the 1917 explosion of an ammunition ship that devastated the city of Halifax and killed almost 2,000 people.
Even if you don’t know the lyrics of “O Tannenbaum,” grab a hot chocolate, pull on your scarf, and enjoy 24/7 Wall St.’s list of the tallest Christmas tree in every state.
1. Alabama
> Location: Lister Hill Plaza, Montgomery
> Height: 35 feet
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2. Alaska
> Location: Petersburg
> Height: 70 feet
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3. Arizona
> Location: Outlets at Anthem, Phoenix
> Height: 80 feet
4. Arkansas
> Location: W Capitol Ave. and Main St., Little Rock
> Height: 55 feet
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5. California
> Location: Citadel Outlets, Los Angeles
> Height:115 feet
6. Colorado
> Location: Kremmling
> Height: 65 feet
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7. Connecticut
> Location: Town Hall Green, Fairfield
> Height: 90 feet
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8. Delaware
> Location: Rehoboth Beach
> Height: 30 feet
9. Florida
> Location: Old School Square, Delray Beach
> Height: 100 feet
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10. Georgia
> Location: Macy’s, Atlanta
> Height: 56 feet
11. Hawaii
> Location: Courthouse Square, Lahaina
> Height: 60 feet
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12. Idaho
> Location: The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene
> Height: 161 feet
13. Illinois
> Location: Millenium Park, Chicago
> Height: 62 feet
14. Indiana
> Location: Fort Wayne
> Height: 40 feet
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15. Iowa
> Location: Cedar Rapids
> Height: 35 feet
16. Kansas
> Location: Blue Earth Plaza, Manhattan
> Height: 75 feet
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17. Kentucky
> Location: Triangle Park, Lexington
> Height: 40 feet
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18. Louisiana
> Location: Washington Military Park, New Orleans
> Height: 30 feet
19. Maine
> Location: Rockland
> Height: 30 feet
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20. Maryland
> Location: National Harbor, Oxon Hill
> Height: 65 feet
21. Massachusetts
> Location: Boston Common, Boston
> Height: 85 feet
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22. Michigan
> Location: Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, Muskegon
> Height: 67 feet
23. Minnesota
> Location: Minnesota Governor’s Residence, St. Paul
> Height: 30 feet
24. Mississippi
> Location: Outlets at Vicksburg
> Height: 50 feet
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25. Missouri
> Location: Crown Center, Kansas City
> Height: 100 feet
26. Montana
> Location: Troy
> Height: 80 feet
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27. Nebraska
> Location: Durham Museum, Omaha
> Height: 40 feet
28. Nevada
> Location: Nugget Casino Resort, Sparks
> Height: 105 feet
29. New Hampshire
> Location: Portsmouth
> Height: 20 feet
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30. New Jersey
> Location: Cranbury
> Height: 36 feet
31. New Mexico
> Location: Albuquerque Plaza Don Luis
> Height: 130 feet
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32. New York
> Location: Rockefeller Center, New York City
> Height: 85 feet
33. North Carolina
> Location: Charlotte
> Height: 70 feet
34. North Dakota
> Location: Capitol Building, Bismarck
> Height: 40 feet
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35. Ohio
> Location: Toledo Zoo
> Height: 85 feet
36. Oklahoma
> Location: Tulsa
> Height: 44 feet
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37. Oregon
> Location: Pioneer Square, Portland
> Height: 75 feet
38. Pennsylvania
> Location: Kennywood Park, West Mifflin
> Height: 90 feet
39. Rhode Island
> Location: State House, Providence
> Height: 45 feet
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40. South Carolina
> Location: Shandon Baptist Church, Columbia
> Height: 35 feet
41. South Dakota
> Location: State Capitol, Pierre
> Height: 27.5 feet
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42. Tennessee
> Location: State Capitol, Nashville
> Height: 40 feet
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43. Texas
> Location: Galleria Mall, Dallas
> Height: 55 feet
44. Utah
> Location: The Outlets at Traverse Mountain, Lehi
> Height: 75 feet
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45. Vermont
> Location: Burlington
> Height: 40 feet
46. Virginia
> Location: Executive Mansion, Richmond
> Height: 20 feet
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47. Washington
> Location: Puyallup
> Height: 185 feet
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48. West Virginia
> Location: State Capitol, Charleston
> Height: 21 feet
49. Wisconsin
> Location: Madison
> Height: 40 feet
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50. Wyoming
> Location: Sinclair
> Height: 80 feet
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