Ask Mr. Sun: The letter B on the mountain in Henderson

Tue, Dec 2, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Basic homecoming

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Home News: Basic seniors continue homecoming tradition (10-30-2008)
Basic grads bemoan decay of hillside B (9-15-1997)
Basic grads repaint hillside B (10-7-1997)
Mr. Sun archives

Hey, Mr. Sun, what is the story behind the giant letter B on the side of a mountain in Henderson?

•••

Henderson’s hillside “B” marks the territory of Basic High School, which, by the way, was named for the magnesium plant not the school’s curriculum.

The letter has been there nearly four decades, but it isn’t the city’s first B. The original went up soon after the first Basic campus opened in 1955, on Van Wagenen Street.

When the school moved in 1971 to its current location, near Boulder Highway and Lake Mead Parkway, the student body built a better B on the hills beyond Racetrack Road.

(The old B, with a bit of creative editing, became an “F” for Foothill High School, Basic’s crosstown rival.)

“It’s a tradition that Basic’s senior class goes up there every year, generally it’s homecoming week,” said John Gilmour, a longtime English and yearbook teacher at the school. “They take a gallon of paint each so on homecoming night it’s nice and white. Lately, they pour more paint on themselves than the B.”

The letter is about 60 feet tall and, according to Gilmour, nearly impervious to attacks.

“Sometimes kids from Foothill — I mean unknown people — will go up there and try to vandalize it,” he said. “But you and 12 drunken friends couldn’t hurt it, it’s so big.”

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Discussion: 1 comment so far…

By nomad

12/2/08 at 3:16 p.m.

Suggest removal

I was a Junior at Basic in 1970-1971. I don't remember the "New Basic" until around 1972 unless I am mistaken. (I went into the US Air Force in May 1971 and didn't get back home until 1972). We were still at the Van Wagenen site when I left in May 1971. The "B" , (on the East side of, (the first part of the McCullough Range), Black Mountain, was always painted by the new Freshman Class under the supervision of the Senior Class. Lets give the Freshmen their due. By the way, Black Mountain is the higher of the peak of the McCullough Range. I hope I have you totally confused by now. We also had a bonfire on campus during our Home Coming Game until the Principal declared it a smog hazard. What a jerk he was. All year long you look forward to the bonfire. Those were the days. Henderson only had around 12,000 people and we all knew each other. Carver Park and Victory Village was still there. We use to hang out at the "Pac Out", (the tough guys hang out), or the "Artic Circle", (where the nice people were). Great French Fries at the "AC". Sure do miss them and the "Secret Sauce". The town only had maybe four stop lights. You would "WALK" to and from school unless you had a friend with a car. I lived over by Valley View Elementary School and loved the walk each day. This "New Growth" has turn Henderson into another big Megalopolis with no heart. Sorry. It's hard to see your Home Town change.