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According to university archives, the first formal Homecoming bonfire took place on the Avenue A Street pavement in 1935 prior to the November 9th NT vs. East Texas State University football game. The Eagles scored a 30-6 victory over the Lions.
Homecoming activities were suspended from 1943 to 1945 due to the lack of men on campus who were fighting in World War II. The first post-war Homecoming and bonfire were held in 1946. 1948 marked the first year that a torch-lit parade led students from Chilton Hall to the bonfire.
In 1950, NTSC President W.J. McConnell lit the bonfire to commence Homecoming at the new Eagle Stadium (Fouts Field) construction site on Maple Street & Avenue E. For the next several years, bonfire was held behind Fouts Field.
In 1960, the university entrusted the building of the bonfire to the Talons. The bonfire is built entirely by hand starting one week before the homecoming game. The bonfire was traditionally built by freshmen and other organizations under Talon supervision. Talons gave a spirit award to the organization that displayed outstanding participation in the bonfire. Today, bonfire is now built entirely by Talons members and Talons alumni.
The old tradition of having associate members stand guard was started after the 1960 pile was lit a night early by pranksters. A new bonfire was built in one day and ignited on schedule. In 1961, the Talons found a time bomb complete with a timer and seven gallons of gasoline at the site.
The honor of lighting the bonfire is given to those Talons that put the most effort into the building of the bonfire. Talons traditionally names 23 torch carriers to light the bonfire.
In the late 1970's, the bonfire was moved from the Fouts Field area to Eagle Point Golf Course at the Radisson Hotel, where it is held today. The new tradition of keeping a 24-hour watch on the bonfire stack was started after the brush pile next to the 1989 bonfire was lit. Fortunately, the fire was put out by the Denton Fire Department before any damage was done to the main structure. Our necessity for night watch proved important again in 1997. A generator, rented by one of the Talons, was stolen. In addition, Greek letters and a chair were left on top of the stack.
Bonfire was cancelled again in the falls of 2003 and 2005 because of a burn ban in Denton county.
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