Mill Mountain is a peak that stands detached from surrounding ranges and lies fully within Roanoke's city limits. The mountain has been used for recreation nearly since the city's beginnings; a resort hotel and observation tower each opened at its top in 1892, an early amusement park was built at its base in 1903, and beginning in 1910 visitors could pay a quarter to ride an
incline railway straight to the summit. By the mid-20th century, however, all of those attractions had closed or burned, and the city was debating to what degree the mountain should be developed. In 1949, in an attempt to provide Roanoke with nationwide publicity and increase commerce in the city, the Roanoke Merchants Association devised the idea to erect a giant illuminated star on the top of Mill Mountain, overlooking
the city's downtown. The group began a fundraising drive with downtown merchants (the anticipated beneficiaries of the plan), with the goal of raising $25,000. The Roy C. Kinsey Sign Company was contracted to build the star, while the Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works designed the steel support tower and of
neon tubing were manufactured by the
Corning Glass Works. and when lit, can be seen from away. Former U.S. Congressman
Clifton A. Woodrum spoke at the ceremony and compared the attraction to the
Star of Bethlehem, quoting the Book of Matthew by saying, "When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." While it was originally planned for the star to be illuminated only during
Christmas seasons, it was popular enough with the city's population that the Merchant's Association decided to keep it lit year-round. It remained red for three nights following the
assassination of John F. Kennedy, and for five after the
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Red, white and blue colors were restored May 24, 2007 and remained that way until returning to all white on September 12, 2011. The star has remained white since, with the exception of switching to red, white, and blue each
Memorial Day,
Flag Day,
Independence Day,
September 11, and
Veterans Day.The star has undergone maintenance on a number of occasions. The steel structure has been painted and received minor repairs in 1971 and 1987. The lights themselves are difficult to maintain, and the entirety of the steel structure is covered in lead paint, which according to the 2021 report would cost $3 million to remove. The star, overlook, and
Mill Mountain Zoo are accessible both from Roanoke and from a spur of the
Blue Ridge Parkway, and the mountain features a network of trails for
hiking,
mountain biking, and
horseback riding. ==Gallery==