The Tempe Normal School class of 1918 was responsible for installing the first letter on Tempe Butte. When the school changed its name to Tempe State Teachers College in 1925, students retained one side of the "N" to form the stem of the "T."
The school changed its name to Arizona State Teachers College, and in 1938, the letter "A" was installed on the butte. In 1952, a bomb blast destroyed the letter. The present "A" stands 60 feet tall and was built of reinforced steel and concrete in 1955.
Guarding the "A"
Each year, during the week leading up to the ASU vs. U of A football game, the Student Alumni Association coordinates the guarding of our beloved gold "A" from being painted by U of A students.