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The Block U is a large concrete
The Block U is a large concrete hillside letter
Hillside letters or mountain monograms are a form of geoglyph (more specifically hill figures) common in the Western United States, consisting of large single letters, abbreviations, or messages emblazoned on hillsides, typically created and main ...
on Mount Van Cott
Mount Van Cott is a mountain located in the Wasatch Mountain Range immediately east of the University of Utah with an elevation of . The mountain is a common spot for hikers as well as mountain bikers and has many access trails. The east side of t ...
in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
, Utah. The stylized "U" is a logo of the University of Utah
The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...
and is located just north of the university’s campus. It is one of the earliest hillside letters. It sits at above sea level. Lights outlining the Block U flash when athletic teams from the University of Utah win and burn steady when they are defeated.
The official name is the “Block U” and is a registered trademark of the University of Utah.
History
The history of the Block U begins at the turn of the twentieth century. Each year, as an unofficial activity, students of the University of Utah would climb “The Hill” (Mount Van Cott) and paint their class year on the mountainside. The administration felt that something more permanent was needed. In 1907 the block U was built withlimestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
. The U is over 30 meters (100 feet) tall and has a surface area of over 455 square meters (5,000 square feet). It can be seen from many different areas of the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably Murray, Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, and West Valley City; its total po ...
. It was later modified in 1967 to include 124 lights. By 2001 the Block U had fallen into a constant state of disrepair. Despite several attempted maintenance by students it was not sustainable without a more thorough renovation.
Renovation
In 2006, the University of Utah completed a $400,000 restoration project known as "Renew the U". Sue Christensen, a University of Utah alumnus, initiated the restoration project. These improvements include: * New lights that are now controlled through awireless
Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most ...
link. The controls are located in the Merrill Engineering building.
* Two hundred and forty flush-mounted light fixtures that will alternate red and white.
* A dimmer feature that allows lights to flash at higher or lower intensities.
* A diversion barrier above the structure and a drainage system to aide runoff and stop erosion.
After the renovation, an official lighting ceremony was held on October 5, 2006 during halftime of the football game between Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
and TCU TCU may stand for:
Education
* Tanzania Commission for Universities, regulatory body for Universities in Tanzania
* Texas Christian University, a private university in Fort Worth, Texas
** TCU Horned Frogs, the athletic programs of the school
* Tok ...
at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Visiting the Block U
The Block U has a physical address of 1635 New Bedford Dr, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103. The official trailhead is located at the end of Tomahawk Dr, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.See also
*Y Mountain
Y Mountain is a mountain located directly east of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, Provo, Utah, United States. The Slide Canyon, or Y Mountain Trail, leads to a large block Y located from a parking area at the mountain's base with a ...
References
External links
{{Hill figures Buildings and structures in Salt Lake City Culture of Salt Lake City Hill figures in the United States University of Utah Tourist attractions in Salt Lake City Individual signs in the United States 1907 establishments in Utah