The “P” on a hill above California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo has served since at least 1919 as a highly visible emblem of the school, seen from campus, Highway 101, and the air. Its origin is linked either to a desire for a prominent symbol for Poly or to rivalry with San Luis Obispo High School. Rebuilt repeatedly from stone, wood, and then concrete, the current form was completed on May 3, 1957. Long tied to student traditions, rivalries, and upkeep rituals, it has also become a site of celebration, protest, and debate, while remaining an enduring university symbol.