On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian militants in Tehran seized the U.S. Embassy, taking hostage 52 American diplomats.

A few weeks later, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce turned on the lights of the star on Flagstaff Mountain, as had been the custom every Christmas season since 1947.

These two events would soon become related. In early January 1980, the Camera reported that instead of turning the lights off as in previous years, the star would continue to be lit for a few hours every night until the hostages came home.

“We’re keeping it on as a star of hope for the hostages’ release,” stated Chamber president Rod Benson, at the time. No one had any idea, though, that the star would shine almost every night for more than 14 months.

Not everyone in Boulder, however, believed that keeping the star on was a good idea. Before long, complaints reached the chamber office with concerns about the amount of electricity used each night. In defiance, a protester sprayed red paint on all 300 of the 25-watt light bulbs.

After the chamber replaced the bulbs, someone plugged into the star, tapping into its electrical power. Then, in the middle of a night in March 1980, activists stole all of the star’s new bulbs.

“It is a tragedy that these acts of vandalism create the appearance of non-concern or lack of patriotism in this period of international crisis,” Benson stated to the Camera, adding that the nightly cost to light the star was only $2.50.

The thieves left the stolen bulbs in a garbage bag in front of the Daily Camera building, then on the southwest corner of Pearl and 11th streets.

They also left a note, claiming credit for the bulbs’ removal and citing environmental concerns that included disturbing wildlife and the need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The note was signed, “The “Monkey Wrench Gang,” in reference to the trio of activists depicted in the novel of the same name, published in 1975 by author and environmentalist Edward Abbey.

Police unsuccessfully checked the bulbs (and likely the note, too) for fingerprints. Meanwhile, the chamber bought yet another set of replacement bulbs and offered a $200 reward for information leading to the vandals’ arrest and conviction.

Prior to April 1980, the star had been lit for several hours every night. Then, as the weeks turned into months, the Chamber decided to only light the star during “freedom hour” — every evening between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

In May 1980, flags in Boulder and all over the country were lowered to half-staff to honor the eight American commandoes who died in a failed mission to rescue the hostages. Meanwhile, the star was lit every evening throughout the summer and fall and into the following year.

Finally, on Jan. 20, 1981, during the final hour of U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s term of office and just before Ronald Reagan began his inaugural address, the Iranian captors freed all of their hostages — 50 men and two women.

Banners reading, “They’re free!” popped up in store windows all over Boulder. That night, the Flagstaff star stayed lit throughout the night in celebration of the hostages’ release. Boulder’s “Monkey Wrench Gang” remained free, as well.

Silvia Pettem and Carol Taylor alternate the In Retrospect column. Pettem can be reached at silviapettem@gmail.com.