El Paso Electric surprises residents with lighted cross on Mount Franklin for Easter 1957
El Pasoans are familiar with the Star on the Mountain, lit nightly since 1993. I have written about the history of the star, first lit Nov. 29, 1940, by the El Paso Electric Company as a Christmas decoration.
For 50 years, the star was only lighted during the Christmas season — with two exceptions that I could find.
In 1979, the star was illuminated every night for 444 nights in support of the U.S. hostages being held in Iran. When the hostages were released Jan. 21, 1981, the star went dark.
It also shone every night from the 1990 Christmas season to Aug. 21, 1991, when the last Fort Bliss soldier returned from the first Persian Gulf war.
More: Annual NorthEaster Parade is a longtime El Paso tradition
Easter surprise from El Paso Electric Co.
Then, in April 1957, the El Paso Electric Co. surprised El Pasoans with a lighted cross for the Easter season. The cross was in the same location as the star and was lit from Thursday to Sunday during Holy Week. The tradition continued for 16 years.
Mountain Cross Lights Up Surprise
Friday, April 19, 1957. El Paso Herald-Post
El Pasoans were surprised by the lighting of a large cross on Mt. Franklin last night in observance of the Easter season by the El Paso Electric Co.
The cross will be lighted nightly through Sunday.
Preparations for the project started two weeks ago and were kept secret until last might.
The cross is in the same location as the giant star which the company lights during the Christmas holidays. It is 497 feet high and 200 feet wide. Workmen used 282 150-watt daylight blue bulbs in its construction.
The El Paso Times added:
The vertical line of the cross measures 25 feet from one side to the other. The horizontal line is 42 feet from top to bottom.
Three lines of lights run the lengths of both the horizontal and vertical lines of the cross. Spacing of lights on the horizontal line is five feet apart, and 10 feet apart on the vertical line.
Publicity for El Paso
In the Feb. 15, 1961, edition of the Times, editor William J. Hooten wrote the following in his column:
February issue of West Texas Today, official publication of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce, has a very laudable article about the El Paso Electric Co.
Included is a large picture of the Cross on the Mountain which is described as “a giant Easter Cross, which has been illuminated on the side of the franklin Mountains in El Paso by the El Paso Electric Co., each year since 1957. A traditional Christmas star has been erected by the utility on the mountainside since 1940 and has become a holiday mark in the Southwest…”
No Mountain Easter Cross This Year
The cross was not lit in 1973 and the Star on the Mountain was turned on only for a limited three-day period. I did not find another regular lighting of the cross after 1973.
Thursday, April 19, 1973, El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso’s traditional lighted Easter Cross on Mt. Franklin will not shine this year.
President Nixon has sked everyone to help reduce consumption of energy because of the current energy crisis. El Paso Electric Co. said they will comply by not lighting the Cross, which had brightened the Easter season for 16 years.
Electric Co. spokesmen said if the energy crisis continues through next December, there is a good probability that the Christmas Star will also be kept dark.
Trish Long may be reached at tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso Electric surprises with lighted cross on Mount Franklin: Trish Long
