UTAH (ABC4) – Mysterious large concrete arrows are littered across Utah with many wondering what they are. These giant arrows are usually found in obscure locations.
To understand the purpose of these arrows, you have to go back to the 1920s when aviation was first becoming widespread. There was no radio communication back then so when the Transcontinental Air Mail Route was created, series of these concrete arrows were built to help guide pilots.
Each arrow would have a 50-foot tower built in the middle with a spotlight shining on it so pilots could see and navigate during the night.
These concrete arrows stretched all the way from California to New York. Advancements in communication and navigation technology in the 1940s meant that the arrows and lights would no longer be used but would remain sitting as a reminder of history.
The arrows can be found in nearly every county in Utah. Some of the most preserved are in St. George. One plaque at a St. George concrete arrow reads:
Utah is rich in aviation history
The first regularly scheduled overland passenger flight in the USA was made by Western Air Express on May 25, 1926. From Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. This 50-foot concrete arrow was one of four here in the St. George area, placed every 10 miles, for navigation of mail and passenger planes. The steel posts held coal oil lamps to illuminate the arrows after dark.
