Mill Mountain Star in Roanoke turns 73 years old

ROANOKE, Va. – It’s time to celebrate the iconic Roanoke Star.

On Wednesday, the Roanoke Star turned 73 years old.

The iconic landmark that gave the Star City its nickname was first lit in 1949.

The 88-foot-tall structure is the largest free-standing man-made star in the world.

It was originally meant to be a temporary fixture to ring in the holiday season, but people loved it so much, it stuck around.