Since October 1, 2022 the star on the mountain was shining red for the month in collaboration with the DEA El Paso Division and El Paso chamber in commemoration of Red Ribbon Week and remembering Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camerena.
The star is also shining red for Fire Prevention Week and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Red Ribbon week will be held from October 23 to October 31 and its the largest drug-prevention campaign aimed at teaching children about the dangers of drugs and to keep them from using illegal substances.
The Star Program is run by the Chamber and is lit nightly to celebrate accomplishments by individuals and organizations in the community.
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El Paso's Star on the Mountain. When you see it, you know you are home.
It’s been a daily part of our evening skyline since April 1993. But if you've looked towards the Franklins at night these last few days, you may have noticed the iconic symbol has gone dark.
And according to the El Paso Chamber, it’s going to remain dark all this week. Here’s why.
The landmark, which is sometimes lit blue or red or a different color in observance of a special occasion or in honor of a community group, has gone dark before.
In March of 2021, wind gusts that reached up to 60 miles per hour left the light fixture so mangled it was down for about a week. Other times, vandals damage the light bulbs that make up the star design that it must go unlit for days while repairs are made and replacements installed.
The reason it will remain turned off this week is much less dramatic.
“The star will be undergoing maintenance as part of our efforts to make sure it shines bright, always celebrating El Paso,” the El Paso Chamber noted in a social media post. The chamber is in charge of maintenance and upkeep of the star.
Per the post, the star will remain dark through Friday, September 30. “We want to reassure the community that the star will return even brighter on October 1st,” the post caption added.
Oscar RicoFranklin Mountain StarWiggs Middle School 7th GradeWord Count For Website: 2,110 words Word Count For Process Paper: 475
About the Franklin Mountain Star
The Franklin Mountain Star was first built in 1940 by the El Paso Electric Company, it was later renovated in 1946 and nowadays it has the same dimensions as it did back then. Its lighting was first used as a Christmas tradition to welcome back Fort bliss soldiers this was until President Maxon of the Chamber of Commerce proposed the idea of lighting the star each evening in 1993. The star is placed at a perfect 30-degree angle on the south side of the Franklin Mountains. I learned that the first star was built by El Paso Electric in 1940. It was only 50 feet wide and could barely be seen on the Carlsbad Highway. It was remodeled to be 403 feet long, 300 feet wide and used 300 lights. Improvements were made in 1946. The length was increased to 459 feet. The star sits at an angle of 30 degrees and appears to be "perfect" when viewed from the focal point at the intersection of Texas and Alameda Avenues. Some mistakenly believe that the star was not lit in some years in the 1970s, in recognition of the Energy Crisis. Although El Paso Electric did reduce the schedule for the lighting of the star, the star remained on every year during that time. I learned that poles are placed up and down the mountain for a distance of 459 feet keep the star where it is. Starting at the top of the mountain top, and running down to a point of about 200 feet above Scenic Drive. The Star can be seen from the east for 100 miles from the air and about 30 miles from the ground. Many pilots are known for using the Star when navigating through the air. It is lit through a combined effort from private citizens, the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, business and community organizations. The Star on the Mountain shines bright each and every night as the sun goes down. El Paso is proud of its image as the “Star City” in the Lone Star State. In May, the City of El Paso will take over paying for the star. They'll do it for a year, at a cost of $45,000. The El Paso Chamber of Commerce is currently responsible for its cost, but when their current agreement is up at the end of April, they're will no longer be responsible. We can say with certainty that effort and money is needed to keep the star burning bright. The City has a year to figure out if it's worth the price to keep those bulbs burning. There are no records to show whether or not the star has been lit every year since 1940. Some said that the star was not lit during WWII. However since the War was ended, the star has been lit every year. A change in the lighting schedule was made in 1979, during the Christmas season of ‘79 through Jan. 21, 1981. The star was lit for 444 days in recognition of the American hostages who were held in Iran. Traditionally, the star was lighted only during the Christmas season until 1993 when the El Paso Chamber of Commerce President Jack Maxon started a move to keep the star lit all the year. In 1993, through a joint project of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and El Paso Electric Co., 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. About $32,000 was spent to renovate the star in 2007. The upgraded consisted of: Installing new wiring and light fixtures that can protect the bulbs from the weather. Installation of screw-in, fluorescent white lights that will replace the less-reliable, yellowish incandescent bulbs. Installation of a radio-frequency remote system to allow the Star on the Mountain to be turned on or off by computer or cell phone, rather than requiring a crew to physically go up the Franklins. Traditionally, the star was lighted only during the Christmas season until 1993 when El Paso Chamber of Commerce President Jack Maxon spearheaded a movement to keep the star lit throughout the year. The star was lighted at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21 during the El Paso Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Banquet. The star has lighted-up the El Paso skies every evening since then. On December 2000, the maintenance and upkeep of the star was officially turned over to the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. The world's largest man-made illuminated star. Since 1946, the star is 459 feet tall, 278 feet wide, using 459 light bulbs. It is perched on the side of the Franklin Mountains, which slice right through the middle of this international border community. It can be seen for 100 miles from the air and 30 miles from the highways leading into town from the east. El Paso Company that owns the land the star sits on. In November 2010, the star turned orange for a week to "launch the Tim Floyd era in UTEP basketball." And in April 2012, the star was turned blue in recognition of Autism Awareness Month. Many El Pasoans remember the Star on the Mountain being lighted only during the holiday season as opposed to all year, as it is now. The star was first lighted Nov. 29, 1940. The very first star on the south side of the Franklin Mountains was built by the El Paso Electric Company in 1940. At the time it was only 50 feet wide and could barely be seen on the Carlsbad Highway. It also did not last long; a storm blew out most of the bulbs. Soon after, another star was built bigger and better. Since World War II the star has been lit each and every year; however some schedule changes were made. During the energy crisis in the 70's the schedule was reduced. In 1980 the Star remained lit for 444 days (until January 21, 1981) during the Iran hostage crises. In 1990, during the Gulf War, the Star once again remained lit (until August 21, 1991) in support of Fort Bliss and all US troops stationed with Operation Desert Storm.
Fun Facts
- $32,000 went into renovating the star in 2007.
- In November 2010, the star turned orange for a week to "launch the Tim Floyd era in UTEP basketball." And in April 2012, the star was turned blue in recognition of Autism Awareness Month.
- The very first star on the south side of the Franklin Mountains was built by the El Paso Electric Company in 1940 it was only 50 ft. wide Another star was built bigger and better. It was 403 feet long, 300 feet wide and used 300 light bulbs. More improvements were made in 1946: the length was increased to 459 feet, the width reduced to 278 feet and 459 light bulbs were used.
- Now it sits at an angle of 30 degrees poles are staggered up and down the mountain for the distance of 459 feet; starting at the mountain top, and run down to a point about 200 feet above Scenic Drive.
- Due to the improvements unlike before now bulbs do not need to be replaced as often and the Star may be seen from the east for 100 miles from the air and some 30 miles from the ground.