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SUOMI LOCATION - George Miljour, 90, remembers when his son used to climb and then slide down the spruce tree in his backyard. On Thursday, Miljour watched as the 65-foot, 5-ton, 101-year-old tree was cut down and loaded on a truck en route to Lansing.
"George's Spruce" was picked as Michigan's 2008 state Christmas tree. It will be decorated and displayed on the lawn in front of the Capitol in Lansing this holiday season.
On Thursday a crew of volunteers cut the tree down and held a ceremony - complete with the marching band and flag corps from Negaunee High School - in Miljour's backyard.
"We took a look at it and selected it," said Steve Doty of the Michigan Department of Management and Budget. "This is very favorable - nice, tall, full and heavy."
One of Miljour's five children nominated her dad's spruce - a tree that has been part of the family's life since they moved to Suomi Location near Palmer in 1940.
Miljour said he never paid much attention to the tree. But, two years ago when powerful wind storms passed through the area, he thought about cutting it down.
"It's no good there anyway," he said about the tree, while watching it being lowered toward the ground by a crane.
Neighbors, family and area officials came to the ceremony, including Lauris Wickersham of Traunik who grew up down the street from Miljour.
"This is the yard where all the kids congregated," she said. "This was home base."
Doty said last year's state Christmas tree also came from the Upper Peninsula - from Gladstone. "Most of the good trees are in older neighborhoods," Doty said. The state's official tree-lighting ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 21.
during Lansing's annual Silver Bells in the City celebration.
