I-17 Mystery Christmas Tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids I-17 Mystery Christmas Tree |
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The tree decorated in 2014
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Christmas tree decoration |
| Date(s) | Late November – early January |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | I-17 in Yavapai County, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 34°13′05″N 112°06′40″W / 34.218132°N 112.111170°W |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | c. 1980-present |
The I-17 Mystery Christmas Tree is a special living tree in Arizona. It grows in the middle section, called the median, of Interstate 17 (I-17). Every year, around Christmas, secret people decorate it.
This tree is located about 55 miles (89 km) north of Phoenix, Arizona. You can find it between Sunset Point and Cordes Junction. It's a fun and mysterious sight for travelers!
Contents
About the Mystery Tree
This special tree is a type of one-seed juniper. It stands about 20-foot-tall (6.1 m). People have been decorating it every year for over 30 years. It's very famous across the state of Arizona!
Tree's Unique Look
Unlike a typical tall, skinny Christmas tree, this one looks more like a bush. It's almost as wide as it is tall. The decorations include:
- Christmas ornaments
- Tinsel and garland
- Stuffed animals
- Bows
- Flags
- A shiny silver star on top
Where the Tree Grows
The tree is in a spot where the highway lanes are very far apart. The median, or middle section, is over 100 feet (30 m) wide here. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is in charge of this area. They have said that no one has ever figured out who decorates the tree.
The tree also has four water storage barrels and plastic tubes. These help water the tree because the area doesn't get much rain. People believe the secret decorators also set up this watering system. In 2013, an ADOT spokesperson named Doug Nintzel said some people claim to know who the decorators are, but they keep it a secret.
When It's Decorated
The decorations usually appear before Thanksgiving. They stay up until after New Year's Day. In 2011, a former ADOT engineer said he knew the decorators' identity. However, he promised to keep it a secret.
Stopping on the highway can be dangerous. Because of this, neither ADOT nor the Arizona Department of Public Safety officially approve of people stopping in the median. Besides Christmas, the tree also gets patriotic decorations for the Fourth of July!
Surviving Brush Fires
The median where the tree grows often has brush fires. These fires can start from passing vehicles. Amazingly, the mystery tree has survived many of them!
Close Calls
In August 2011, a fire came very close to the tree. It melted the plastic irrigation system. But the tree itself was not badly hurt. The fire burned the plants around it and scorched some of its lower branches. Some reports say the fire went out on its own. Others say ADOT workers, citizens, and even firefighters helped save the tree.
ADOT employees have seen the tree survive fires again and again. Firefighters also saved the tree from another fire in August 2019.
A Song for the Tree
Dolan Ellis is Arizona's Official State Balladeer. He has been singing songs about Arizona since 1966. He wrote a song about the mystery tree and named it "Scrubby."
See also
In Spanish: I-17 Mystery Christmas Tree para niños
