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
|