Star bright?

I was going through a calendar of events the other day and realized that Monday, April 21, 2008 marks the 15-year anniversary of the nightly lighting of the Star on the Mountain.

The Star on the Mountain was first lighted in 1940 by the El Paso Electric Company and became a Christmas tradition for many El Pasoans. For fifty years the star was only lighted during the Christmas season with two exceptions that I could find. 

In 1979 the star was illuminated every night for 444 nights in honor of the American hostages being held in Iran. It also shone every night from the Christmas season 1990 to Aug. 21, 1991 until the last Fort Bliss soldier returned from the first Persian Gulf war.

In 1993, through a Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and El Paso Electric Co. joint project, the star became a nightly feature in El Paso’s skyline. The project now lets El Pasoans sponsor the star to be lighted in a loved one’s honor or for special occasions.

The star was renovated in 2007 and now includes a remote system to turn the star on. The old way required going up the mountain and turning the star on manually.

What do you think? Should the star be lighted year-round or only during the Christmas season?

Comments

[SunCityCynic]

Wow! Great blog! I look forward to learning more about things unique to El Paso.
I love that the star is on every night. However, now that it's all about going green, maybe the star needs to be on only during Xmas or special occasions.

[mark hernandez]

I live in the U.K. and travel back to El Paso often, the star always lets me know that I'm home. Let it be lighted every night. Mark

[Jerry Fernandez]

I believe the star should only be lighted during the special holidays and also during special moments just like the hostage situation back in 1979. ONLY

[Wishing star]

Sometimes, I park my car and stare at the star and make a wish for love, hoping my soul mate is doing the same and we will one day meet and fall in love.

[Gabe Trejo]

The star on the mountain is as much a part of the El Paso skyline as "Benito" is a part of Juarez's. El Paso is the SUN CITY, slap some photovoltaic panels next to the star and you no longer have to worry about powering it with the grid.

[BIGL]

Keep the star lighted year-round. It's an El Paso landmark and expats, locals and tourists know El Paso because of it. Flying into the city at night and seeing the star lighted makes me and countless people smile.

[Miller Girl]

I enjoyed it when it was lit only at Christmas. Now I don't really pay any attention to it anymore. It isn't as special as it was back then.

[Vick Lara]

I grow up in El Paso, now I live in Northwest Indiana I like to see the star only on Christmas Hoildys, I have beautiful memories there.

[thewatchman]

Keep it lit all year!! It's a great landmark and it gives El Paso an Icon. Let's keep progressing not regressing and lighting it only on holidays and special occassions, make some new memories!!!

[Heather]

They should continue lighting it all year long; it was lit in memory of a friend of mine a while back and it is a great way to commemerate a lost loved one.

[Alex]

I like it lit everyday. It gives El Paso more character and illuminates our beautiful desert skyline and mountains. Did long ago, there used to be a cross lit on the mountain as well? I believe controversy brought it down.

[Ken]

I'm from the east coast, and when I was driving back from Phoenix along Rt. 10 one night, the Star let me know without a doubt I'd reached Texas. I think it's a meaningful beacon for wayward travelers like myself, and you should keep it lit.

[Marta]

I currently live in Rhode Island, but grew up in El Paso. All through my childhood, I looked forward to the Christmas season with bated breath and just as I thought Sana Claus was a magical symbol of Christmas, so was the star on the Franklin Mountains. It was our special Estrella Navideña! I say we conserve energy and light it only at Christmas.

[rudy]

It's hard to decide - I grew up in El Paso with the Star being lit only for the Christmas season (and special occasions - I remember the 444 days for the hostages - made you think about them everytime you saw it and it was a great relief when it was finally out).

It did make it very special.

But what about everybody that has gotten used to it being part of the landscape now. Tourists and locals would miss it. It wouldn't be El Paso without it. Just like Mt Franklin in the middle of town and Chico's Tacos - when I first left to Dallas that was what I missed most: Mt Franklin and Chicos...

[James T. Karam]

I once live near the "Star" and at nights it would light up my bed room. That was years ago...