🎨 A+ Tradition: Painting the Aggie “A”

Hey there, FoCo,

If you glanced west of town this weekend, you might have noticed something shining a little brighter. The iconic “A” on the hillside just below Horsetooth Reservoir got its annual refresh, one of the most beloved symbols of Fort Collins pride.

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Every August, Fort Collins gets its own hillside makeover — and no, it’s not Mother Nature doing the touch-up. It’s the annual Paint the “A” tradition, where students, alumni, and volunteers grab brushes and buckets to give CSU’s giant white “A” its fresh coat of shine. From Horsetooth to Old Town, you can practically spot it winking at you.

But here’s the kicker: the “A” doesn’t even stand for “awesome” (though it could). It’s a nod to CSU’s roots as Colorado Agricultural College, where students in 1923 voted to carve a massive “A” into the hillside as a badge of Aggie pride. The first paint job? A full-on bucket brigade of freshmen lugging whitewash up the mountain in 1924. Talk about earning your stripes… or letters.

Of course, a century of traditions comes with a century of stories. Rival schools tried sneaky pranks (Wyoming once painted “W.U.” on it — rude), fraternities took on guard duty, and even CSU football players joined in on the painting crew in later decades. Through it all, the “A” stood tall, bold, and bright — a 300-foot reminder that FoCo bleeds green and gold (and occasionally white paint).

So next time you’re cruising around town and spot that fresh white letter shining on the hill, give a little nod. That “A” isn’t just a landmark — it’s a century-old love letter from Aggies to Rams, painted one brushstroke at a time.

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