Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Christmas tree survives journey from Montana

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - The Christmas tree at the Steve and Rose Bratu home in Ironwood Township is special this year.

It's as wide as it is tall.

Steve and his son, Marcus, were hunting in Montana when they found the juniper that was suitable for the family tree.

After cutting it down, getting the tree home was no easy task, as it weighs around 300 pounds, according to Rose, who said junipers are not found in the Upper Peninsula. There are more than 60 species of junipers.

The Bratus are familiar with wood, as they operate Bratu's Hardwood Interiors in Ironwood's industrial park.

Rose said her husband and son tied the tree to the top of Marcus' one-ton truck, "National Lampoon style," and it survived the long trip back to Gogebic County.

The tree measures 12 by 12 feet, which made transporting it on the top of the truck a difficult process.

It turned out to be a successful trip for the Bratus, avid hunters who bagged two mule deer and a juniper, but came up short in the elk department.

-Ralph Ansami

 
 
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