At 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Elipse and "pushed the button" to light the first National Christmas Tree. A crowd of 3,000 witnessed the inaugural lighting of the 48-foot cut balsam fir donated by Middlebury College, Vermont.
For the next 30 years, live trees were lit at various locations on or near the White House grounds. Finally, in 1954, the ceremony returned to the Ellipse. Cut trees served as National Christmas Trees until 1973. It was then decided to plant a permanent live tree.
The current National Christmas Tree, a 40-foot Colorado blue spruce, was transplanted from York, Pennsylvania, in October 1978. Since President Coolidge began the tradition in 1923, each presidential administration has participated in the lighting of the National Christmas Tree.
UPDATE: On Saturday, February 19, 2011, sustained high winds of 25 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, snapped this tree about four feet above the ground, according to the National Park Service. Less than seven hours later, the tree had been reduced to mulch by work crews.
