By Crystal Thompson
After 34 years of standing in front of Ira and Mary Ann Peterson's home at 1024 17th Street in Havre, a massive evergreen was given a new home.
You may recognize the tree as this year's town Christmas tree, which has been nestled in the future site of Havre's Town Square for nearly a month now.
The Petersons planted the tree as a sapling after moving into their current home nearly three and a half decades ago. The Petersons watched the tree grow over the years as their family and their neighborhood grew as well. "When we bought the house, there was nothing around us," Ira remembers.
The tree continued to decorate the Petersons front lawn until earlier this year, when Ira contacted Murray Barkus to have the tree removed and to be used as the town Christmas tree. Ira said that it was just time that the tree be moved.
The Petersons and their grandsons watched as the tree was removed last month. The removal was quite a site according to Ira. After being cut down and carefully lowered onto a trailer, the tree was transported down the city streets to it's current home in the Wells Fargo parking lot, leaving nothing but a stump in the Petersons front yard.
The Peterson family was present at the tree lighting ceremony on Nov. 25 to watch their tree become part of the city's holiday celebration. "It was a good feeling," said Ira.
