Hillside Letters Are Disappearing! The Story of the Colfax "C" and Lacrosse "L"

Hillside letters were all the rage in the early to mid 1900's. Schools and communities across the west added hillside letters to the most visible hill in town. Hillside letters fostered community spirit or let a rival school know which school was "the best". Literally hundreds of hillside letters were constructed. And maintenance was done yearly with the "white washing" or "liming" of the mountain monogram.

But times have changed......

And the Letter Ladies are feeling the affect.

Many schools and communities still take care of their hillside letter. To be sure, the vast majority of hillside letters are still treasured today.

But some hillside letters are neglected, or have disappeared all together.

Letter Ladies Martha, Dawn, Rena and Marlene checked out the status of the Colfax, WA "C" and the Lacrosse, WA "L". Marlene made more than a few phone calls to schools, libraries and city halls. Marlene believed that the Colfax "C" did exist per her phone conversations with Colfax community members. And Marlene was able to confirm that the LaCrosse "L" did exist, but is on private property and not accessible.

The Letter Ladies explore hillside letters to learn about the rich history and to go on a fun hike. And, when there is a hot springs near by, they are sure to go for a soak.

Subscribe to The Letter Ladies YouTube channel to learn more about hillside letters. Visit the Letter Ladies Instagram @letterladieshiking.

Next time you are driving out west, and you see a hillside letter, stop and take a moment to appreciate all the work, time, and community spirit that has gone into these symbols of community pride. And if you have a chance to soak in hot springs, please remember to be respectful of these natural treasures.

Shot on on my brand new Insta360 Ace Pro camera and Galaxy S25 Ultra! And the drone shots are on my DJI Mini 3.