Roanoke Star facts for kids
The Roanoke Star, also called the Mill Mountain Star, is a huge, bright star built on top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia. Some people even call it the "Hollywood sign of the East Coast"! It was built in 1949 and is the biggest freestanding lighted star made by people in the world. You can see it from an airplane up to 60 miles (97 km) away. It sits high above the city, about 1,045 feet (319 m) up.
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Roanoke Star
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Roanoke Star seen at early evening
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mill Mountain, Roanoke, Virginia |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1949 |
| Architect | Roy C. Kinsey; Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001375 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1999 |
Contents
History of the Roanoke Star
In 1949, a group called the Roanoke Merchants Association wanted to start the Christmas shopping season in a special way. They decided to build a bright neon star on top of Mill Mountain. Even though they planned for it to stay there forever, they weren't sure if it should be lit up all year.
The star quickly became very popular! Because everyone loved it so much, the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association decided to keep it lit all the time. Many people helped build the star, but no one person took all the credit.
Star Colors and Meanings
When the star was first lit, it glowed only in white. Later, its color would change to red if someone had died in a traffic accident that day.
In 1976, for the 200th birthday of the United States, the star's design changed. It became a red outer star with smaller white and blue stars inside. Usually, all three colors are lit at once. Sometimes, the colors light up one after another for a few seconds each.
If something sad or important happens, the outer red star is sometimes lit alone. This is like a flag being lowered to half-mast. This has happened for both national and local events. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, the star stayed red, white, and blue for almost six years, until April 2007.
On April 17, 2007, the star had to be turned off because a tree damaged a power line. When it was lit again on April 22, 2007, officials changed it to all-white. This was meant to be "a symbol of hope" after the sad events at Virginia Tech.
The red, white, and blue colors came back on May 24, 2007. They stayed that way until September 12, 2011, when the star returned to all white.
Star Upgrades and Maintenance
On August 12, 2006, the star was turned off for eight days. This was so the city could do important electrical work. Old parts like junction boxes, transformers, wires, and pipes were replaced. Many of these parts were from when the star was first built in 1949.
These upgrades cost $100,000. But this work is expected to save the city money later on because less maintenance will be needed.
How the Roanoke Star Was Built
The Mill Mountain Star is 88.5 feet (27.0 m) tall. It has 2,000 feet of neon tubing, which is a very long way! It needs 17,500 watts of power to light up all those neon tubes, and it even makes a soft humming sound.
Roy C. Kinsey of Kinsey Sign Company built the neon tubes with his three sons: Roy Jr., Bob, and Warren. They first put the star together near an airplane hangar to see how it looked. Then, it was driven to the top of the mountain and placed onto a strong steel frame. Robert L. Little, an engineer from Roanoke Iron & Bridge Works, also helped with the project.
Some of the original red neon tubes are still there today. However, all the white and blue sections have been replaced over time. Most of the work on the star now involves replacing transformers and fixing circuit breakers.
Lighting Ceremony
The star was officially "lit" by Mayor A.R. Minton on November 23, 1949. Mayor Minton threw a special "dummy" switch. But it was Bob Kinsey who actually flipped the real switch behind the circuit breaker!
Congressman Clifton A. Woodrum dedicated the star. He used a quote from the Bible: "When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." The Greene Memorial Methodist Choir sang " America" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." James H. Moore, who managed WSLS-TV, was the host for the event.
Visiting the Star and Nearby Attractions
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Right in front of the star, there's a special viewing area called an overlook. From here, you can see amazing views of the Roanoke Valley and downtown Roanoke. It's a very popular spot to take pictures of the city. Many local people also bring their friends and family who are visiting to see this view.
A small zoo is also located near the star on top of Mill Mountain. The Mill Mountain Zoo started as a children's zoo, but it has grown. Now it has more exhibits and different kinds of animals.
You can get to the star, the overlook, and the zoo from Roanoke City. You can also reach them from a road that branches off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Roanoke Mountain. There are also many hiking trails that lead to the star and from the star to the zoo.
From 1910 to 1929, there was an inclined railway (like a train that goes up a steep hill) that ran up the mountain. It started near where the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is now and went all the way to the top. You can still see the path of this old railway today. The main reason people took the railway was to visit an inn at the top. Some people want to rebuild that inn today.
The star and the park around it are great places for picnics during the day. They are also popular spots to hang out at night. The very top of Mill Mountain is 1,740 feet (530 m) above sea level.
Images for kids
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The star with red, white, and blue neon lights illuminated.
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The star and its commemorative plaques.
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The star viewed from under the structure.
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