This year's Christmas tree for the rotunda in the state Capitol building in Pierre will come from the Lead-Deadwood area, state officials said Tuesday.

The 54-foot Black Hills spruce is headed for cutting anyway, being cleared for the future site of the Deadwood Plaza and Stress Relief Massage at Pluma. Owners Lana and Jim Sternhagen in a news release said they were honored to have the tree selected so it will live on in memories.

They worked out the arrangement with state forester Brian Garbisch. The South Dakota Division of Resource Conservation and Forestry has had the job of finding the official state holiday tree for 28 years. Trees typically are chosen for the honor because of their age or they have grown too large for their location, the news release said.

The tree will be cut at 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 13. The state Department of Transportation will provide the semi-trailer and driver to transport the tree to Pierre.