Milwaukee City Wire

 Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson is already in a holiday season mood.

“Milwaukee harvested the 2022 city Christmas tree [Tuesday] morning,” Johnson posted on Twitter. “It was generously donated by Erwin Boehme, a retired city firefighter. Join us to light the tree, Nov 18 at Deer District.”

The 31-foot blue spruce tree was selected by residents who submitted what tree they thought would best serve and represent the city through the holiday season. WISN.com reports the chosen tree was harvested early Tuesday morning, and came from Boehme’s home near 58th Street and Garfield Avenue.

A retired Milwaukee firefighter and veteran of the armed services, Boehme said he planted the tree himself more than five decades ago, never thinking for a second that one day it would become the city’s Christmas tree.

The Milwaukee Christmas tree is the second-oldest Christmas tree tradition in the country, behind New York City.

"I'm really proud of it,” the 93-year-old Boehme told WISN. “I never thought when I planted it that it would become a Christmas tree for the city of Milwaukee, that’s for sure."

With this marking the 109th year of the city’s tree, the Department of Public Works staff will do the decorations before the public lighting ceremony later this month. Before that, the tree will receive a Milwaukee Police Department escort downtown, where it will be placed outside Fiserv Forum.

"You know it's been a goal of mine to work to get the city Christmas tree around," Johnson added. "Not just have it in a place where it’s been the past few years near City Hall but to share the joy really with the entire city."