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Roanoke is understood as both the "" and the "," so it rationally follows that its people would desire to construct a giant, glowing star on top of Mill Mountain. The Star, developed in 1949, is thought about the ","* yet another claim to fame that Roanoke can add to its outstanding roster.


Individuals wanted a pretty star or a patriotic star, but not a mournful star. * A tipster explains that the in El Paso, Texas spans 459 ft. of a steep slope, making it technically the largest manufactured lit up star. We offer points to Roanoke for standing up their star like the Hollywood sign.

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The structure was constantly meant to be a permanent addition, the merchants at first weren't sure if the star should be lit year round. When the star immediately ended up being incredibly popular, the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association chose to keep it lit all year. The Merchants Association is credited with the construction of the star, but no single individual declared credit.


Later on, the star's color would change from white to red to suggest a traffic fatality on that day. Generally all the colors have been lit at as soon as, but occasionally the colors have actually been lit in a repeating series: each color shows exclusively for a 2nd or two, or in succession.

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Numerous of these devices are from the star's original 1949 construction. The Roanoke Star on its first night lit in white following the Virginia Tech massacre.


On April 17, 2007, the star had actually to be switched off because among the power lines had been greatly harmed by a tree. When the star was relit on April 22, 2007, officials changed the color configuration to all-white "as a sign of hope" after the Virginia Tech massacre.

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Then it was driven to the top of the mountain and put onto a steel structure (mill mountain star trail). Robert L. Little was the Structural Engineer for Roanoke Iron & Bridge Works at the time and helped on the job as well. Specific sections of the original red neon tubing still exist, while all of the white and blue areas have actually been changed.

From 1910 to 1929, an inclined railway ranged from near the current area of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Health Center to the mountain's top. The course of the incline is still noticeable today. The primary location was an inn. A group devoted to making Roanoke an appealing community for 40-year-olds has proposed restoring the inn.

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The star also motivated the Starcropolis, a theater celebration that commemorated local stories about the landmark. Katherine Fralin, the organizer of the festival, discovers that refugees that have resettled in the city have most lately accepted the star. "One of my favorite things that one of Roanoke's newcomers stated was basically, 'the star is unique to Roanoke because it is gorgeous, and I feel comfortable when I see the star,'" Fralin says.


The Roanoke Star is lit up nightly, oftentimes in all white or red, white, and blue. In the past the star's colors have been altered to note tragic events, such as the Virginia Tech massacre of 2007 and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Due to the extensive appeal of the Mill Mountain Star and the emotional connection it invokes in location citizens, the iconic Mill Mountain Star is almost certain to stay a popular location tourist attraction for generations to come.

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You can discover directions to the Roanoke star here. The Roanoke Star hours are 7am-11pm daily with the possible exception of holidays. mill mountain star roanoke va.


According to the, the star was lit for the first time at 8:22 p. m. on November 23, 1949 by Roanoke Mayor A.R. Hinton and John Payne, a Roanoke native and Hollywood star, throughout an official lighting ceremony. Due to the winter, there were less than 100 individuals on hand.

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The popularity of the brilliant beacon won its method and has remained a long-term, glowing fixture in all seasons. Watch this brief video for the story of how the Roanoke Star became an unintentional icon. The 2,000 feet of neon tubing form 3 embedded radiant stars to produce one large structure that shines from atop Mill Mountain overlooking the City of Roanoke.


This Roanoke Times post from the 65th anniversary in 2014 consists of interviews from those who were a part of its initial go to the website lighting in addition to a recap of the local dispute about whether to erect a cross, a tree, or a star.

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Set down high atop Virginia's Mill Mountain (the only mountain to be consisted of entirely within the limitations of one city) is an intense neon beacon that has offered an entire brand-new identity to the town listed below, which is now referred to as the "Star City of the South." Developed in 1949, the huge star shining from the peak of Mill Mountain was created to motivate Christmas consumers for miles around.

The star, which towers above 88 feet high, can be seen for miles around when it is lit up, and the city of Roanoke at the foot of the mountain soon earned its colorful nickname - mill mountain star roanoke va. The giant design really consists of 3 stars nested within each other with each concentric layer able to illuminate in one of America's 3 patriotic colors.

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The lights of the star have been utilized to signal considerable occasions over the years as well, typically shining pure white to honor tragedies varying from regional car wrecks to massacres somewhere else in the state. This attraction is complimentary of charge, and is in an open public Roanoke park.