Hillside Letters

GEORGIE KULCZYK

THE COURIER

School pride and civic identity is pervasive in Valley County. Among other things, area residents take pride in our athletic and academic programs, the hardiness and generosity of our residents, and the unique offerings our area has to offer.

Traditions at sporting events and visual identifiers are undeniably prevalent in our communities.

One visual identifier that residents typically associate with school and community pride are the geoglyphs commonly known as hillside letters, or mountain monograms.

Hillside letters are most commonly found in the American West and are an important part of the western cultural landscape.

The geoglyphs usually consist of large single letters, initials, abbreviations or even messages, and are typically created and maintained by schools or towns.

Some of the most common geoglyphs are built-up using concrete blocks, wood, metal, or even old car tires. Other communities paint their monograms on bare rock faces or cliffs. The least common are the cutout letters, which are formed by removing vegetation to create a letter.

Some monograms are illuminated, like the "M" for the Colorado School of Mines, which was constructed in 1908 and has been illuminated every night since the 1930s.

According to Wikipedia, there are approximately 500 hillside letters in all, and Montana has more than any other state with 112. Those numbers really can't be verified, however, as Wikipedia relies heavily on its users for information.

The first hillside letter constructed was a "C" at UC Berkley in 1905. Students proposed building the letter in an effort to end rivalries associated with their annual spring rush.

The University of Montana's "M" was Montana's first monogram, with students constructing the letter in 1909 using whitewashed rock.

The first high school to build a hillside letter was in Utah in 1912, and by the '20s and '30s the geoglyphs were being constructed throughout the West.

Some people were opposed to the building of the letters, as they thought it would diminish the natural beauty of the landscape. The tradition however, gained popularity, and as time passed the monograms became cherished landmarks.

Letters have been built to celebrate winning teams, as Boy Scout projects, and in memory of local community members. They have also been used to display community support, demonstrate patriotic pride, and to show solidarity during times of adversity.

In the days after the 9/11 tragedy, communities temporarily painted their hillside letters red, white, and blue. When the University of Utah's hillside began to crumble, school and community members donated over $200,000 to fund a project to repair the "U". When letters have fallen victim to vandalism, communities have come together to repair the symbols, as well as offering a reward to capture the culprits.

Books have been written about them and they have been immortalized on the big screen.

Glasgow's monogram is located west of town on land owned by the Northern Development Corporation. At press time, the date of construction is unknown.

According to Glasgow High School's activity director, Brenner Flaten, it was originally placed in its current location so it could be seen from the fairgrounds when the Scotties played football on Friday nights.

"They used to 'light up' the G with road flares for homecoming a long time ago," explained Flaten. "When I got here last school year, I wanted to start up the tradition again, so the Glasgow Fire Department volunteered and helped us light it up with flares for the bonfire night."

In an effort to light the "G" permanently, Flaten requested funds from the Scottie Booster Club to help pay for a bulk of solar powered lamps to go all around the "G".

Although Flaten isn't sure if anyone is really in charge of maintaining the letter, he did say that he plans on making the hike to check on the lights and make sure everything is in working order.

Other hillside letters in the county are located near Nashua, Frazer, Hinsdale, and Opheim, as well as one near our Phillips County neighbor, Saco. Be on the lookout for the landmarks next time you're traveling Highway 2.