Mill Mountain Star
Encyclopedia
The Roanoke Star, also known as the Mill Mountain Star, is the world's largest freestanding illuminated man-made star, constructed in 1949 at the top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia
. It was the largest star ever assembled until the El Paso Star was completed in El Paso, Texas
. However, the Mill Mountain Star still holds the claim to world's largest illuminated man-made free-standing star, as the El Paso Star lies flat on the ground. After construction of the star, Roanoke was nicknamed "Star City of the South". It's visible for 60 miles from the air and it sits 1,045 feet above the city of Roanoke.
Initially, the star was illuminated in all-white. Later, the star's color would change from white to red to indicate a traffic fatality on that day. As part of the bicentennial celebration
in 1976, the design was changed to an outer single star of red encompassing inner double-stars of white and blue. Generally all the colors have been lit at once, but occasionally the colors have been lit in a repeating sequence: each color shows exclusively for a second or two, or in succession. To commemorate a tragic event, the red outer star has been used alone, in a manner akin to a lowered flag. Such commemorations have been made for national and local events. After the September 11, 2001 attacks
, the star was kept in a red, white, and blue configuration for nearly six years, until April 2007.
On August 12, 2006, the star was turned off for eight days for the city to perform significant electrical upgrades. Outdated junction boxes, transformers, wiring, and conduits were replaced. Many of these devices are from the star's original 1949 construction. The upgrades cost $100,000. The work is expected to save the city more money in the long run due to a reduced need for maintenance.
On April 17, 2007, the star had to be turned off because one of the power lines had been heavily damaged by a tree. When the star was relit on April 22, 2007, officials changed the color configuration to all-white "as a symbol of hope" after the Virginia Tech massacre
.
Red, white and blue colors were restored May 24, 2007
and remained that way until returning to all white on September 12, 2011.
Certain sections of the original red neon tubing still exist, while all of the white and blue sections have been replaced. Most maintenance on the star today involves the replacement of transformers and the repairing of circuit breakers.
The star was "lit" by Mayor A.R. Minton on November 23, 1949. Minton threw a "ceremonial" dummy switch, and Bob Kinsey flipped the actual switch behind the circuit breaker.
and, particularly, downtown Roanoke. The overlook is a well known place to photograph Roanoke. It is also a site where area residents take visiting friends and relatives.
A small zoo
was built near the star on the summit of Mill Mountain. Mill Mountain Zoo
was originally designated as strictly a children's zoo, but the number of exhibits and variety of animals has expanded. The star, overlook, and zoo are accessible both from Roanoke and from a spur of the Blue Ridge Parkway
at Roanoke Mountain.
From 1910 to 1929, an inclined railway
ran from near the current location of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
to the mountain's summit. The path of the incline is still visible today. The primary destination was an inn
. A group dedicated to making Roanoke an attractive community for 40 year olds has proposed rebuilding the inn. David Bowers, now mayor, stated opposition to the park building proposal in his campaign, as did the Roanoke chapter of the Sierra Club and the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation.
The star and the park around it are popular picnic spots by day. They are also popular hangouts at night. City police regularly patrol the area to discourage underage drinking and enforce Roanoke's curfew for minors.
Mill Mountain's summit is 1,740 feet above sea level.
From 1964 until it was destroyed by fire in 1976, the former inn served as the first home for the Mill Mountain Playhouse. After the fire, the Mill Mountain Playhouse moved several miles northwest to the recently renovated classic movie theater, the Grandin Theatre in the Raleigh Court neighborhood of Roanoke. In 1983, the Mill Mountain Playhouse became the Mill Mountain Theatre and moved to the new Center in the Square facility on Market Square in downtown Roanoke. The modern facility in the Center in the Square has enabled the Mill Mountain Theatre to become a regional theatre for Roanoke.
Many Roanoke area businesses and organizations have "Star City" in their names or use the star in their logos. A few are named after Mill Mountain. One prominent example is Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea, a small local chain of coffeehouse
s.
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. It was the largest star ever assembled until the El Paso Star was completed in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. However, the Mill Mountain Star still holds the claim to world's largest illuminated man-made free-standing star, as the El Paso Star lies flat on the ground. After construction of the star, Roanoke was nicknamed "Star City of the South". It's visible for 60 miles from the air and it sits 1,045 feet above the city of Roanoke.
History
In 1949, the Roanoke Merchants Association decided to kick off that year's Christmas shopping season by having a neon star built on top of Mill Mountain. Although the structure was always intended to be a permanent addition, the merchants at first weren't sure if the star should be lit year round. When the star immediately became very popular, the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association decided to keep it lit all year. The Merchants Association is credited with the construction of the star, but no single person claimed credit.Initially, the star was illuminated in all-white. Later, the star's color would change from white to red to indicate a traffic fatality on that day. As part of the bicentennial celebration
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
in 1976, the design was changed to an outer single star of red encompassing inner double-stars of white and blue. Generally all the colors have been lit at once, but occasionally the colors have been lit in a repeating sequence: each color shows exclusively for a second or two, or in succession. To commemorate a tragic event, the red outer star has been used alone, in a manner akin to a lowered flag. Such commemorations have been made for national and local events. After the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, the star was kept in a red, white, and blue configuration for nearly six years, until April 2007.
On August 12, 2006, the star was turned off for eight days for the city to perform significant electrical upgrades. Outdated junction boxes, transformers, wiring, and conduits were replaced. Many of these devices are from the star's original 1949 construction. The upgrades cost $100,000. The work is expected to save the city more money in the long run due to a reduced need for maintenance.
Virginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
.
Red, white and blue colors were restored May 24, 2007
and remained that way until returning to all white on September 12, 2011.
Construction
The Mill Mountain Star is 88.5 feet tall with 2,000 feet of neon tubing. It requires 17,500 watts of power to illuminate the neon tubes, so it puts out a pleasant little hum. Roy C. Kinsey of Kinsey Sign Company built the neon tubes with his three sons Roy Jr., Bob, and Warren. It was assembled near a local airplane hangar to study how it looked. Then it was driven to the top of the mountain and placed onto a steel structure. Robert L. Little was the Structural Engineer for Roanoke Iron & Bridge Works at the time and helped on the project as well.Certain sections of the original red neon tubing still exist, while all of the white and blue sections have been replaced. Most maintenance on the star today involves the replacement of transformers and the repairing of circuit breakers.
The star was "lit" by Mayor A.R. Minton on November 23, 1949. Minton threw a "ceremonial" dummy switch, and Bob Kinsey flipped the actual switch behind the circuit breaker.
Overlook and zoo
Directly in front of the star is an overlook that features dramatic views of the Roanoke ValleyRoanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
and, particularly, downtown Roanoke. The overlook is a well known place to photograph Roanoke. It is also a site where area residents take visiting friends and relatives.
A small zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
was built near the star on the summit of Mill Mountain. Mill Mountain Zoo
Mill Mountain Zoo
-External links:* official website...
was originally designated as strictly a children's zoo, but the number of exhibits and variety of animals has expanded. The star, overlook, and zoo are accessible both from Roanoke and from a spur of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
at Roanoke Mountain.
From 1910 to 1929, an inclined railway
Mill Mountain Incline
The Mill Mountain Incline was a 0.37 mi funicular, or inclined plane, located on Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia that operated between 1910-1929...
ran from near the current location of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is a hospital in Roanoke, Virginia, USA. The hospital has 825 beds, and is part of Carilion Clinic.-Services:Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital's emergency department is a certified level I trauma center...
to the mountain's summit. The path of the incline is still visible today. The primary destination was an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
. A group dedicated to making Roanoke an attractive community for 40 year olds has proposed rebuilding the inn. David Bowers, now mayor, stated opposition to the park building proposal in his campaign, as did the Roanoke chapter of the Sierra Club and the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation.
The star and the park around it are popular picnic spots by day. They are also popular hangouts at night. City police regularly patrol the area to discourage underage drinking and enforce Roanoke's curfew for minors.
Mill Mountain's summit is 1,740 feet above sea level.
Area businesses
Many Roanoke area businesses and organizations have "Star City" in their names or use the star in their logos. A few are named after Mill Mountain. One prominent example is Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea, a small local chain of coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
s.