History of the "M"

In 1908, 250 students and 20 faculty members, with a supply train of loaded burros, packed their way up Mount Zion to build the Colorado School of Mines "M". By late that afternoon, the nation's second oldest mountainside monument had been constructed. Only the Utah "U" outdates the Mines' letter. 

The original design, created in 1905 by Joe O'Byrne, a senior and later a faculty member, has undergone no major changes throughout the years. The descriptive geometry problem was extremely difficult because the "M" was to appear undistorted from any angle of view. The 104 by 107 feet letter rests on a 23 degree slope at an elevation of 6900 feet near the top of Mount Zion. 

In 1931, members of Mines' chapter of Blue Key, a national leadership and service fraternity, borrowed a tractor, a generator, poles, wire and bulbs to light the "M" for Homecoming. 

The impressive display prompted students and civic committees to organize a fund drive to raise money to light the "M" permanently. The feat was finally accomplished in 1932. Originating at Brooks field, a 230 volt line carried current over 17 poles to the "M"-blem. The power was transformed to 110 volts and fed to the letter's more than 400 bulbs. Lighting became fully automatic in 1948. 

In the fall of 1989, after 41 years with only minimal maintenance on the "M"-blem lights, Blue Key spearheaded a "M" modernization project. In the initial phase of the project, the old lighting structure was removed and a new support structure was installed by Blue Key and members of the Society of Mining Engineers. The "M" was then rewired and all wiring was enclosed in a weather-proof conduit. The old light sockets were replaced with multi-bulb weatherproof fixtures. This project provided the capability to control the lighting via a phone modem. 

Due to the extremely poor condition of the power lines, high winds cut power to the "M" in the Fall of 1989. Using funds provided by the class of 1952, the power lines, transformers and several poles were replaced and the system upgraded to 760 volts. During the repairs, the "M" was lit using a portable generator with Blue Key members manning the generator throughout the night. 

Every fall each freshman carries his/her own ten pound rock from the base of Mount Zion to the "M". After making their contribution to the letter, members of the class clean and whitewash the symbol. In the spring, the graduating seniors whitewash the "M" as their departing gesture. 


Information on this page is based on the E-Days Guide Book 1995 pg. 17 

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Last Modified: September, 2000