Located on Pine Drive, sat, until recently, the Red Cedar Pine that Governor Brian Kemp has now relocated to its place in front of his home for the entirety of this Christmas season.

  Planted roughly 50 years ago by two brothers, this approximately 56 foot tree was the result of two kids that were bored at home.

  Older brother F. Melvin Palmer, Jr. and younger brother, Howard Palmer, planted two trees on the same day. The Red Cedar Pine was planted by Melvin, Jr. and the second tree by Howard.

  “We didn’t have anything to do and we were bored. We didn’t have computers or cell phones back then. We dug [the trees] up off this land. Being that young, we weren’t going to spend all day to dig up a tree or a large hole to put it in,” laughed Howard. “The pine was about a foot tall when we planted it.”

  The tree was used by the Palmer family as an outdoor Christmas tree for seven years as Melvin, Jr. and Howard were growing up, making their family’s holiday experience a little more special each year.

  “We used it as an outdoor Christmas tree until it got too large for us and we couldn’t decorate it proper,” said Melvin Palmer, Sr.

  “Our family is about family. So Christmas is special for us and this tree is a part of that. In fact, when I was mowing the grass, I ran over some of the bulbs from 200 years ago. There may still be a couple of Christmas tree bulbs and lights left up in the Christmas tree,” laughed Howard.

   Melvin, Jr. has since passed away, as of July 6, 1991, this tree standing as a symbol of his memory for all of the years to follow.

  “[Melvin Palmer, Sr.] wanted it cut down a few years ago, but we were reminded of why it was there, because my brother planted it a long time ago. So, we didn’t cut it down. We kept it,” said Howard. “Then, when the Governor’s Mansion called and left letters about it, we agreed. It’s kind of an honor to have it gone that way, so we let it go. We decided that the Governor can have it for Christmas.”

  “It’s in the way and coming into the driveway because it has gotten so big. We get it cut down for free,”  laughed Howard.

  Melvin, Sr. told the Times that Governor’s Mansion officials discovered the tree because they were ‘hunting trees’ since the beginning of October. 

  “[Melvin, Sr.] actually found a letter in his mailbox with no address, no name or nothing on it. He opened it up and it was a letter from the Governor’s Mansion wanting that tree. They really wanted this tree. But that’s not the extent they went. They came to my house about the tree,” said Howard. “They went through all of the tax records and everything to track down next of kin. That’s how bad they wanted the tree.”

  “Once they saw this [tree], they pretty much settled on it,” agreed Melvin, Sr. 

  Governor’s Mansion officials confirmed that they do, in fact, ‘hunt’ down trees to place in front of the Governor’s Mansion during the holiday season.

  “It just took lots of driving and looking to find this tree. Driving is the only way we can find them,” said Jimmie Mosely, Landscape Manager with the Georgia Building Authority. “After we find the tree, we also work with the family to re-plant a tree on their land if they want one. If not, we plant a tree on the Department of Transportation right-of-way.”

  The trees that are picked by the Governor’s Mansion have to pass a few stipulations before the family is contacted. The tree must be able to be accessed by a crane and a truck. It must also be a full tree and around 30 to 40 feet tall.

  The trees are donated by the families, so no compensation is given to the families for their tree.

  This is not the first tree that has been taken from the Henry County area to be placed in front of the Governor’s Mansion for the holiday season. Governor’s Mansion officials told the Times that Henry County and Loganville have some of the best trees, from which they have chosen in years past.

  Additionally, Red Cedar Pine trees are native to the southeast region of the United States, which makes the selection of this tree extra special. 

  Once cut down and loaded onto its transport to the Governor’s Mansion, the Palmer’s Red Cedar Pine tree stood at 37 feet tall.

  On December 1, the Palmer family is invited to tour the Governor’s Mansion and take photos with the decorated tree.

  “I think it is pretty nice that we get to go,” said Howard.

  Despite the tree being cut down and re-homed for the season, the legacy of the tree remains in the memories of the family members.

  “This is something that the grandkids can remember years from now, they can look at the pictures and remember,” said Melvin, Sr.